During the inaugural week of the school year, school administration held a series of “expectations assemblies” acquainting students with East’s recently revamped tardy policy. This new policy was formulated in direct response to the high number of late students in previous years and represents a significant departure from the previous system.
The tardy policy’s first major change is that teachers are now instructed to lock their doors as soon as the bell rings and are not permitted to allow late students entry to their classrooms unless they possess a red tardy slip. Students can obtain their pass but must make a quick trip to the nearest administrative office to do so. Although generally not problematic, some students find this aspect to be inconvenient.
“One morning there was really bad traffic, and I just missed the bell in the morning by about 30 seconds,” said senior Samuel Ashley. “I had to go back down to the cafeteria and wait in a line full of kids to get my pass before I could go to class.”
English teacher John Stevens maintains his belief that the tardy policy is beneficial and attests to having fewer latecomers overall due to the new rules. However, he further notes that the tardy pass system, in certain situations, might disrupt instructional time because “some students may only be seconds late when the door closes, but five or more minutes late after finding an administrator to write them a pass.”
In addition to the updated entry requirements for late arrivals, the tardy policy also introduces a tiered set of consequences for repeated violations. Following the first tardy, a verbal warning is issued. Upon a second occurrence, a lunch detention is assigned, along with an email to the student’s parents. A third tardy warrants an additional lunch detention and a phone call home, and in the event of a fourth tardy, students are required to participate in a process called “RESET.” Principal Jesse Casey said that a RESET involves a meeting between the student and Charles Baldwin, the RESET and Restorative Practices Coordinator, during which they discuss the reasons for consistent tardiness and devise improvement plans. At the conclusion of each quarter, the tardy count resets, providing students with a fresh opportunity to maintain punctuality.
Some teachers, like earth science teacher David Ingram, view the policy as a necessary measure.
“I love the policy,” Ingram said. “Kids are finally being held accountable because in real life, you can’t just show up whenever you want to.”
Calculus teacher Nick Fitzgerald shares this sentiment.
“Tardies have always been a problem, but this is the first year where I don’t have to worry about whether or not they’re handled.”
However, while some students believe the looming threat of lunch detention is an effective motivator to get to class on time, others take it less seriously.
Senior Seb Georgallis describes his recent lunch detention as “chill” and enjoys using the time as a study hall. Although he doesn’t believe he’ll change his ways as a result of the experience, Georgallis appreciated a bit of quiet time during lunch, and he still recognizes the overall merits of the new policy.
“Nobody likes the new rules, but everybody is getting to class on time now, so I’d definitely say it’s doing its job,” Georgallis said.
Nevertheless, any new rule is bound to generate dissenting opinions. According to an ECHO survey of 294 students, 53 percent of students say that they do not believe that the tardy policy is effective, while only 15 percent believe it is effective.
“It’s unfair to students,” said sophomore Ellie Zerden, who particularly objects to the lunch detention policy. “You miss out on your lunch, a time you’ve earned through hard work. You should be able to spend lunch with friends or engage in club activities, but it’s taken away from you, and the school shouldn’t have the authority to do that.”
Another potential concern is that students might opt to skip a class altogether if they anticipate being late. This strategy has emerged as a workaround for some, given the absence of consistently enforced penalties for missed classes.
“I can see skipping becoming a problem with some students for sure,” Stevens said. “But on the other hand, [lunch detention] may be enough of a deterrent to help them get to class on time.”
Casey stated via email that he does not foresee students cutting class becoming a major issue in the future, saying that “skipping class means missing instruction, which will result in grades declining and a natural consequence for not going to class.”
He personally feels satisfied with the outcome of the policy thus far.
“The plan is working,” Casey said. “Students are getting to class on time, and the hallways are much clearer after the bell rings.”
