The new tardy policy is better than the old.  It is better because it is more suitable for the crime of being late.

“Time is the issue so time should be the consequence,” said Tim Hall, Dean of Students.

It was unfair for students to lose points for being late.  Being tardy is a time management problem, not an academic problem.  Therefore, the punishment for tardies should involve students giving up some of their own time in order to learn how to manage it better.

“I believe the new tardy policy will be effective.  Although being late to class does not seem like a big deal, students need to have a serious consequence for being late or they will never stop,” said Greg Fleissner, junior.

Conducts are taken far more seriously by students than 15 and 30 minute detentions.  Students, like myself, are intimidated by the idea of receiving a conduct.  We are busy all incredibly busy and do not have enough time to give an hour of it for being a few minutes late.

“I think the new rule will intimidate kids into not being late,” said Ian Sutherland, senior.

Many students at Westminster are also afraid of getting a conduct because it could go on their permanent record.  The idea of getting a conduct after a fourth tardy will most likely scare students into arriving to class on time, instead of coming after school for an hour long detention that will be recorded on their schooling record.

Mackenzie Yeager, junior, received her first conduct ever after being late to her Spanish class four times.  At first, she was upset about having a conduct.  But, later she realized she would rather have a conduct than have points taken off her grades that she worked extremely hard on.

Yeager has not yet been late to this class since she received the conduct.

Conducts are definitely sufficient warnings for students to stray away from recieving them a second time if possible.

“If I got a conduct for being late, I would try my best to never be late again. Now that I know about this new policy, I will try my very best to be on time,” said Emma Bailey, junior.

With fewer students arriving late to class, teachers can get more work done and students may have more free time to socialize at the beginning or end of class.

Only time will tell whether or not the new tardy policy at WCA will be effective.  But, I believe the intent of the policy is excellent.  The new punishment for tardies is more agreeable for students and teachers.

Punishing children for being late to class by giving them shortened detentions is not threatening and taking points of a student’s grade is simply not acceptable.  The new tardy policy is well-thought-out and will most likely prove to be effective.