In order to keep the hallways clear last year, the Ritenour administrative team instituted a rule where students could not be sent out during the first of last 15 minutes of class, but after seeing how the policy worked, they decided to double it and make it a 30 minute no pass time first semester.
The new policy includes no passes being issued the first and last 30 minutes of class unless there is an emergency, only having select restrooms on each floor be open at all times, and hall sweeps during every class of the day regardless of whether or not music is being played.
According to the Assistant Superintendent of Secondary Education and Principal of Ritenour High School, Dr. Bruce Green, the decision was made for the benefit of student safety and to prepare them for their future careers.
“We try to prepare students for where they’re going, not where they’re being, so we want to make sure that students understand how to prioritize times and look at things from a work field perspective,” Green says. “If you’re at work, there are certain times that you should be doing certain things. Some students like to spend an enormous amount of time in the restroom. If you’re at work and you spend an enormous amount of time in the restroom without proper documentation, then your supervisor might ask you questions about your whereabouts, which could cause one to be written up and possibly lose a job.”
Students have varied opinions on the rules. Many believe that it is unfair and unnecessary, considering it inconveniences people who actually may need a pass out of class to use the restroom or get some help in another class .
“I just feel like it’s stupid. You don’t get enough time to use the bathroom. If you try to go to the bathroom during passing, you can’t get through the halls and when you get to class you get told no,” freshman Terrell Fisher said.
Junior E’mage Graden feels similarly in regards to the rule and believes it is unproductive for students who go to class and use hall passes responsibly.
“It’s good for most kids, but not all of us need it. The ones who don’t need it are the ones who actually go to class, but want to leave to get help,” said junior E’mage Graden “I don’t really like the 30-minute rule because I can be stuck in my classroom for 30 minutes when I could be doing something for school somewhere else.”
Graden states that he believes the 15 minute rule was more reasonable.
“When given my 15 minutes, I would be able to get work done, but also be able to catch up,” Graden says “But with 30 minutes, it’s too much time. Now I’m sitting there for extra time when I could be in a different classroom getting help or doing something else.”
While students may have negative opinions on the new rule, English teacher Laura Beamer has seen positive improvements with the 30-minute pass restriction rule.
“I like it, actually. I do bathroom breaks anyway, so I didn’t really send people out in those 30 minutes. That’s kind of what I’ve established and it’s worked for me,” Beamer said. “The 30 minute restriction has been really, I think, overall beneficial. It minimizes hallway traffic.”
Beamer believes that as a teacher, it helps with consistent,y but she has also heard a good amount of pushback from students.
“As a teacher, other teachers know they shouldn’t request students and the students know if they need to see another teacher, they have to wait, so it lets me do my lesson and get things going without a lot of phone calls and pass requests,” Beamer said. “So, especially being a teacher that plans a lot, it’s really been helpful. A lot of students don’t like it. There is some frustration. That happens every time we change policies. For the most part, it has died down.”