Priscilla Flores checks the student’s school IDs in the parking lot.
20 November 2012
ROAD RAGE: Poly students face frustrating lines to leave after fifth period.
By Hannah Lerstad, Staff Writer
Poly students without a sixth period must show student identification in order to leave the campus. While this used to involve a simple flash of the student’s school ID card at the gate to prove that the section for sixth period was hole-punched, the administration has switched to forcing students to show identification as they are driving out. To do this, Poly supervisors have closed down two of the three exit lanes leading to Central Avenue, funneling all traffic into a single lane.
In addition to this measure, students walking home must also pass through the checkpoint. There is another checkpoint for pedestrians at the steps leading to the corner of Central and Victoria Avenue.
The resulting traffic backup has led to irritation among many of Poly’s students.
“It’s really ridiculous. It jams up the entire parking lot and a lot more people ditch,” Poly student Hannah Hyatt (11) said.
Merging is often a problem for drivers attempting to exit, as are stopped cars in the far right lane.
“It’s super annoying! It takes forever, too, because some parents just stop in the line while picking up their kid and it holds everyone up so it’s just crazy,” Poly student Anonah Lee (11) said.
The frustration comes after weeks of long lines in the student parking lot immediately after fifth period. In contrast to the earlier method of showing identification at the gate, the new approach of checking ID in the parking lot is drawing quite a bit of criticism.
When asked her position on the matter, Kiaune Premdas (12) said, “This is a concern that needs to be addressed. Teenagers are already labeled as ‘bad drivers.’ The stop-and-go, bottle-necked parking lot only adds more potential for an accident to occur. Floyd’s way was easier. Not perfect, but easier, and it got the same job done.”
Yet campus supervisors and administrators have no issues with the set-up.
Priscilla Flores, the primary overseer of the parking lot checks, felt it was necessary to keep students from ditching sixth period. She said, “It was this way a long time ago. I think it’s going by smoothly – it takes maybe three minutes to get out. ” She also added, “It’s much easier. It’s a more secure way.”
However, many students regularly wait for longer periods of time, and their irritation is increasing. The fifth period identification checks are slowly degenerating into a serious case of road rage.
Photo by Olivia Childers/Poly Spotlight