January 2012 Chatterbox - Ruston High School

Editorials/Opinions ChatterboxRuston High School January 19, 2012 Page 11Closed Campus is Badby Carter CarrollGraphics Design EditorRuston High School has a closed campus policy; that is, students are not allowed to leave campus during our lunch break or schoolin general. This is mostly used to insure that students don’t just leave school. Before the policy was in place, kids would go to eat andthen go home. These kids would suffer consequences, of course, but the fact was that they could pretty much leave whenever theywanted to. The kids that cared about school, and not getting in trouble, didn’t leave. It was usually the kids that were trouble makersthat left. Many teachers would complain about missing students. So the school decided to implement the closed campus policy.I strongly feel that this policy should be lifted. I feel that being able to go out and get food would be nice because let’s be honest,lunches at school are a hectic mess. I’ve been stuck waiting in line at lunch until the last two minutes of lunch on more than one occasion.Honestly, it’s quite frustrating to be standing in line, hungry, and then not getting to eat. Being able to go out and get food somewherefaster like Sonic or Taco Bell would be so much nicer.The only problem with an open campus policy is that some kids might just leave. I feel that if Ruston High were to adopt an opencampus policy, they should make it a privilege, perhaps taking in a Trust Card idea like New Tech. If a student were to get in troublewith the open campus, the school would have the right to take away the trust card.Who Wouldn’t Want a Closed Campus?by Whitney DurrettEditor in ChiefThrough the years Ruston High has restricted students leaving campus even more. Years ago students could leave for lunch thenreturn, and then it was just upper classmen, then only seniors, now no one is allowed to leave. This makes students safer becausewhile leaving for lunch one day a student could have a car wreck; now that possibility is none. By not being allowed to leave forlunch, students are forced to eat in the cafeteria, bring their own lunch, eat something from concessions, or simply not have lunch.This is not a bad thing at all. If students could leave, most of them would get fast food every day which is not cheap and not healthy.By closing the campus of Ruston High to too many people coming and going, it makes our school a safer place. Not just anybodycan come in our school and do as they please. Anybody who wants to come in the school must go through the office and state theirpurpose, not just walk in. I feel safer because of that rule.I believe the purpose of this rule is not to make students mad and miserable; it’s to help keep our campus safe. With such a largeschool it’s a much needed rule to keep all the students of Ruston High out of danger and spending more time in the classroom!The Chatterbox reminds all students that everyone has a right to an opinion on issues. If you have an opinion and wish to write an article, theChatterbox reminds you that all submissions are subject to staff, editor, and administrative review to ensure that the article provides information orpromotes school pride, and does so without materially disrupting work, does not cause substantial disorder, or does not invade the rights of these.