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Katie H. and Jordan C.
Katie H. and Jordan C.
In early September, the Howard Middle School staff introduced a new policy to eighth-grade students - all hallway traffic must move solely in one direction. This may sound sensible on the outside, but in reality it is an inconvenience to everyone on the eighth-grade floor that won’t lead to positive changes in behavior.
In early September, the Howard Middle School staff introduced a new policy to eighth-grade students - all hallway traffic must move solely in one direction. This may sound sensible on the outside, but in reality it is an inconvenience to everyone on the eighth-grade floor that won’t lead to positive changes in behavior.
This rule was conceived to prevent horseplay in the hallways, loitering, and the spread of COVID-19. However, this is not a prudent way to address these issues. Moderating the direction that students walk will not force them to move quickly through the hallways. In fact, this policy makes some students walk farther to get to class, which increases levels of tardiness. This plan will also do nothing to prevent horseplay, as eighth-graders can just as easily throw punches as they please, while everyone around them has to move in one direction. Nor will this plan significantly reduce COVID’s spread - although it is true that less people will be facing you and breathing directly into your face, there will still be extremely close contact between students in the hallways.
This rule was conceived to prevent horseplay in the hallways, loitering, and the spread of COVID-19. However, this is not a prudent way to address these issues. Moderating the direction that students walk will not force them to move quickly through the hallways. In fact, this policy makes some students walk farther to get to class, which increases levels of tardiness. This plan will also do nothing to prevent horseplay, as eighth-graders can just as easily throw punches as they please, while everyone around them has to move in one direction. Nor will this plan significantly reduce COVID’s spread - although it is true that less people will be facing you and breathing directly into your face, there will still be extremely close contact between students in the hallways.
“I don’t think the one-way hallway rule is very convenient, and it doesn’t help students get to class on time,” eighth-grader Josh* said. “It also won’t really stop fights in the hallways.”
“I don’t think the one-way hallway rule is very convenient, and it doesn’t help students get to class on time,” eighth-grader Josh* said. “It also won’t really stop fights in the hallways.”
One-way hallways are also extremely inconvenient for nearly every student. For example, if a student’s locker is located three feet in the “wrong” direction from their classroom, they are forced to walk around the entire school before finally collecting their books and heading for their next class. They can even get “PINGed” (punishment for a low-level infraction) for tardiness.
One-way hallways are also extremely inconvenient for nearly every student. For example, if a student’s locker is located three feet in the “wrong” direction from their classroom, they are forced to walk around the entire school before finally collecting their books and heading for their next class. They can even get “PINGed” (punishment for a low-level infraction) for tardiness.
“My social studies class is literally a door apart from my math class,” eighth-grader Sofie Campisi said. “But I have to walk all the way around.”
“My social studies class is literally a door apart from my math class,” eighth-grader Sofie Campisi said. “But I have to walk all the way around.”
The one-way hallway policy is also not equally enforced throughout Howard Middle School. Eighth-grade students are consistently held to this rule, but sixth and seventh graders are not.
The one-way hallway policy is also not equally enforced throughout Howard Middle School. Eighth-grade students are consistently held to this rule, but sixth and seventh graders are not.
“It’s not really enforced,” sixth-grader Chloe Loach said. “The teachers understand that we didn’t have that in elementary school, and they don’t mind.”
“It’s not really enforced,” sixth-grader Chloe Loach said. “The teachers understand that we didn’t have that in elementary school, and they don’t mind.”
The one-way hallway is even having negative effects on some students’ overall perception of school. Constant harassment when you’re trying to walk three feet down the hallway does not spur positive interaction between students and teachers.
The one-way hallway is even having negative effects on some students’ overall perception of school. Constant harassment when you’re trying to walk three feet down the hallway does not spur positive interaction between students and teachers.
“It’s making school so much more tedious and less enjoyable,” eighth-grader Sarah* said. “It’s really unfair to the people who have to walk all the way around the building just to end up three feet away from where they were.”
“It’s making school so much more tedious and less enjoyable,” eighth-grader Sarah* said. “It’s really unfair to the people who have to walk all the way around the building just to end up three feet away from where they were.”
“This new rule is just unnecessary and makes everything harder,” added eighth-grader Payton Wood. “There is no way to win. Either you get yelled at for walking the wrong way or get PINGed for being late to class.”
“This new rule is just unnecessary and makes everything harder,” added eighth-grader Payton Wood. “There is no way to win. Either you get yelled at for walking the wrong way or get PINGed for being late to class.”
Many students are exasperated with this rule and they are striving to change it. Eighth-grader Audrey Lyons and many others circulated petitions to remove the one-way hallway policy. She collected 83 signatures before handing giving it to Dr. Harper, the eighth-grade assistant principal.
Many students are exasperated with this rule and they are striving to change it. Eighth-grader Audrey Lyons and many others circulated petitions to remove the one-way hallway policy. She collected 83 signatures before handing giving it to Dr. Harper, the eighth-grade assistant principal.
“I was just fed up,” Audrey said. “I’d been late to science the previous week because I had to go all the way around the school, and I’d just had to walk around again trying to get to class. Then, I realized that I didn’t even have it bad compared to others. Some people have a harder time than I do.”
“I was just fed up,” Audrey said. “I’d been late to science the previous week because I had to go all the way around the school, and I’d just had to walk around again trying to get to class. Then, I realized that I didn’t even have it bad compared to others. Some people have a harder time than I do.”
A large percentage of eighth-grade have come together to get rid of the one-way hallway policy. This rule needs to be rethought into something that won’t constantly impede a simple attempt to walk three feet from classroom to classroom. Our educational lives won’t be satisfactory until it is modified to be both helpful and convenient for both students and staff.
A large percentage of eighth-grade have come together to get rid of the one-way hallway policy. This rule needs to be rethought into something that won’t constantly impede a simple attempt to walk three feet from classroom to classroom. Our educational lives won’t be satisfactory until it is modified to be both helpful and convenient for both students and staff.
* These are pseudonyms for people who wished to have their names remain anonymous
* These are pseudonyms for people who wished to have their names remain anonymous
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