As of Sept. 4, student drivers are required to obtain and display parking permits in order to park at the stadium. Different from parking “passes,” which are provided to select students in order to park closer to the school, parking “permits” are required for all students who plan to park on school property.

Implementation of the policy hasn’t been without difficulties, which is to be expected with any new program. Initially, there was a $25 cost to purchase a permit, but administrators recognized and acted upon student views toward this new payment. Students primarily argued for the removal of the charge because it was a  deviation from the policy in previous years; in the end, the fee was taken away because the district was able to cover the cost of the tags.

Certainly, having students use parking permits is a good way to promote safety both in the parking lot and around the school. According to the National Safety Council, more than 50,000 car crashes occur in parking lots and garage structures annually, making safety a critical issue in regards to parking policy. By implementing these parking permits, administrators are able to ensure the safety of the student body through better organization of the parking lots. Moreover, it allows administrators and school resource officers to quickly and effectively identify whether certain cars should be on school property, thus enforcing the student-only stadium parking lot policy during school hours.

Overall, the idea of parking permits proves to be beneficial—it makes the school and its parking lots safer. The permits are ultimately necessary for our school, especially with the substantial student body, as the parking lots get crowded and chaotic. With this form of organization, administrators are demonstrating their concern for the students and their efforts to promote safety for everyone in and around the school, and we applaud their efforts.