by Angus Feath, Campus Contributor
Every year, student drivers must go through the same arduous process of purchasing a $15 parking permit. But is this really necessary? Despite having a certified parking pass, searching for a parking spot in the morning before school is still a time-consuming process. People without parking permits still take parking spots despite not having purchased a pass.
There does not seem to be enough parking for students. Despite there being approximately 220 parking spots for students and 155 for staff, there is always a swath of staff parking spaces left empty, while students are stuck searching for empty spots. Why should students pay for a parking pass when it is difficult to find parking at all?
Furthermore, most parking pass holders are seniors. While $15 may not seem like much, this fee adds up when factoring in all the other fees seniors must deal with, such as senior portraits, AP tests, yearbooks, prom, the senior trip, college application fees, and other graduation costs. Seniors are burdened enough financially and should be given a break from the constant fees of their final year in high school.
While the school says that it uses the fees as extra funds for school programs and classroom expenses, this problem could be circumvented in other ways. These areas would not be in such need of extra funds if the school allocated more funds towards programs in academics and the arts instead of into athletics, as the school administration tends to do.
Often students’ only feasible form of transport is by driving themselves. It may be that their parents do not have the time to drive their child to school and no public transport runs from where they live to school. The Coachella Valley is not a compact urban area and its residents are some of the greatest victims of urban sprawl, so getting anywhere without a car is a hassle. To accommodate for this, the school should at least provide free parking to their scholars.
by Mariah Hoggatt, Staff Writer
Every school year, administration requires students to buy new parking permits, at a “whopping” $15. Many students disagree with these fees, believing that they have no use. However, these insignificant fees do serve practical purposes, such as increasing general safety and bettering the staff and students attending Palm Desert High.
One thing that seems to go unnoticed by students is that anytime there is a big event held at the school, security staff doubles. Take, for instance, school dances, our flag game, and graduation, all of which call for a larger security team and even a few crossing guards. Security isn’t just volunteering their time; this is a paying job for which the school requires funds. According to Kristen Ramirez in the discipline office, who personally deals with parking permits, a main source of income is profits gathered from the school parking permits.
If the school did not require students to pay this fee, administration would have to find some other way to get funding. The new solution would not be as beneficial as the one we currently have, because this system also ensures safety. This is achieved in two different ways. Firstly, if security is checking to see if all cars have a parking permit and they happen to notice a car that doesn’t have one, it is easier for them to distinguish who is supposed to be there and who is not. Furthermore, when you buy a parking permit, you must submit a proof of license and car insurance as well as a vehicle with all safety verifications. This might seem unimportant, but the school is held liable for the safety of its students. If they were to just hand out parking permits without checking this information, then they could possibly be handing it over to a student who lacks the proper means to drive, which would result in putting students in unnecessary danger.
Yes, theoretically these processes could be done for free. However, the school has to make some profits for general funds around the school in some way or another. If they were to throw a fundraiser or offer other things to make money, they still would not make as much than if they required everyone to pay for parking permits—something that secures our safety and ultimately benefits the school and its staff and students.