The Parking lot rule change

The+Parking+lot+rule+change

On Nov. 1, at 9:51 a.m., the students and staff got an email about a rule change in their town instituted by the police department. The parking lots were no longer allowed to be used as a meeting or get-together spot after 10 p.m. It was a sudden change for students, but so far, they’ve all followed the rules.

“It was a good move because we weren’t doing the best things, but I don’t know why they just took it away,” junior Peyton Winter said. “It’s better to have us in the parking lot where they can watch us instead of just out in the country out there doing whatever we want without supervision.”

Most students have agreed with this mindset and said they want this rule to be revoked, but some students have an opposing mindset towards this change.

“Although kids can get in trouble at any time, I think keeping it off of school property is a good thing,” sophomore Trace Pettegrew said.

English teacher Kristy Martin said she sees both sides.

“I would have hoped there would have been a better solution,” she said. “I think if there had been more open communication on both sides, we would have had a more productive outcome. I think that it shows that there is certain behavior that is not acceptable and there are consequences to that behavior. Hopefully, we will have people that learn from these consequences.”

Whatever your opinion is, the rule is set in stone, for now.

“I did not want to take the parking lot from the kids, but they weren’t acting right so I had to do something,” Chief of Police Landon Wisely said. “Whatever the students choose to do, they can still do it as long as they follow the rules, at St. Joe or main street or wherever.”

Chief Wisely has stated that they are willing to give back the privilege of the parking lot, as long as they stay out of trouble and aren’t doing illegal things in their cars. He said it will take at least three weeks, and good behavior from all students, to get the parking lot back.

“The parking lot should be a place where students can get together and have fun and share victories or defeats after games, and I should be able to watch them and know they’re doing the right thing and still having fun,” Chief Wisely said.