An ongoing parking situation at PVHS has created controversy, threatening concepts of fairness and seniority. With the lack of administration enforcement, conflict has been stirred up among classes.
In most high schools, senior students are given more respect and privileges. Parking spaces, prom and homecoming court, graduating early and more special rights are encompassed in seniority. As a freshman, one is introduced to this idea to create structure and give the underclassmen an incentive, something to look forward to and strive to obtain when the time comes.
However, with a chaotic parking lot situation involving violations caused by underclassmen breaking the parking rules associated with seniority, Pleasant Valley seniors are becoming upset, questioning whether or not their privileges are truly being enforced. The parking lots are designated for particular grades. Freshmen are not allowed to park at school, sophomores can park in the E lot and juniors and seniors can park in the lower lot or the tennis lot.
This organized system is partly structured around the concept of seniority, which was promised to the class of 2020 and previous classes. Unfortunately, this promise has been used, abused and broken. Sophomores and even freshmen have been found parked in junior and senior lots. These lots have become completely filled, forcing upperclassmen to park in undesignated areas.
Over fifty violations were issued during the course of one school day on Feb. 5. Jenny Little, a senior who just started attending Pleasant Valley High School second semester commented , “I have been at this school for only two weeks and I already have two violations due to the freshmen and sophomores parking in the spots they’re not supposed to.
”Some seniors have even created and signed a petition to bring back senior lots. Before the new addition of the school was built, there was a parking lot strictly designated for seniors. Since then, juniors and seniors have had to share parking lots. Addy Staszewski created a petition that already has 89 signatures.
Although students are upset by their privileges being revoked, the issue is also about following rules and incorporating fairness. Senior Evin Ersan stated, “I believe that every Pleasant Valley student should abide by the PV administration parking rules, meaning no underclassmen should park in the senior designated lots.”
Some students believe sophomores should have to do their time and park in the far lot. Why should some students have to endure a long walk from the lot to school and not all? Furthermore, why should some freshmen be allowed to drive to school and not all?
Fairness is an essential characteristic surrounding every aspect of life, and the high school has failed to display this character trait. Despite seniority and fairness, there is another logical reasoning behind the concept of designated lots.
Senior Arianna Felisiak brought up a good point, saying, “Some students have Scott classes, and when they are released they have ten minutes to get to their period at the high school and we can’t make that if we’re walking far.” This also brings up the point that a lot of seniors don’t have first or second periods, which also makes it more logical to have a parking system in favor of upperclassmen.
PVHS is committed to excellence and morals are taken very seriously. Is it necessary to continuously patrol and enforce rules, or should students naturally display integrity. Following parking policies are essential to ensuring organization, fairness and harmony.
Leah • Feb 14, 2020 at 8:55 am
When I was a freshman, I rode the bus to school, and got a ride home from a senior who parked in the, at the time, senior only parking lot. I couldn’t wait til I could get a car and be a senior and be able to park so close to the school. But as the construction on the towers took up that parking lot for a while, I was scared it wouldn’t be open before I graduated. Now that it’s open, not only is it half the size it used to be, but juniors can park there too, and some sophomores are given upperclassmen parking passes “because there’s room”. I believe that some forms of seniority can be destructive, but in this case, I definitely think that a senior parking lot should be reinstated.