Amongst the plethora of things to talk about regarding school policy, student behavior, and school culture, one of the last things I
imagined would stir up controversy is the issue of parking passes. There has been an increasing number of people who have refused to pay for passes or simply neglect to do so. As a consequence, people have been ticketed and boots have been put on cars for multiple offenses. People have also been failing to follow up with parking violations, and, thus, causing problems.

I understand that passes are expensive. At a whopping $150 one time fee for seniors and $75 per semester for juniors, it is to be expected that some students are not able to pay the fee. However, as long as the policy stands, it is important that you pay the fee, or at least accept the repercussions. First, it’s unfair for some to pay the hefty fee, and be diligent about paying, while others refuse and expect to be treated with the same respect as those who have followed policy and pay for their spot. It is frustrating as
someone who saved a portion of my paycheck, completed the necessary forms, and done what was requested to still find that my usual morning spot has been taken by someone with bright tickets and a boot on their car.

As it stands, the repercussions far outweigh the benefits. Not only is refusing to pay for tickets and finding ways to get the boot
removed from your car tires ridiculous, it does more damage for you than good. In addition, there are easy ways to handle a
ticket if it’s your first offense, and the main office is usually more than willing to work out the issue. Last year, I got a parking ticket because my car was in the shop, and I had forgotten to sign the car I had driven to school in. I was devastated when I saw the ticket on my car. However, I contacted a school secretary, and she was able to quickly resolve the problem, absolving me of the
ticket with a smile and a reminder to simply sign my car in at the Attendance Office.

If you are so enraged by the price of the passes, the solution is to bring it up with administrators in a respectful and courteous manner and work with them towards making changes. Being rude by refusing to pay the fee and accumulating tickets,
and complaining about something that you have done to yourself will not end the way you hope it will.

It’s important to remember that policies, whether liked or not, are to be followed. Promote change in a positive way.