Have you ever arrived at school right at 8:40 am, and been marked late unexcused? Have you ever realized you were going to be late to school, so then you just go later so you could make up an excuse? Have you ever been one minute late because of the traffic outside of the school, or because the crossing guards skipped your turn to cross the street to school? Have you ever been even later to class because of the overflowing line in the office with other kids walking into the school at 8:40 or just a few minutes after?

I think that if students arrive at school right at 8:40, or a few minutes later, they should not be marked unexcused. I believe that it would be better if students only miss a minute of school, rather than missing full periods so they can write an excuse that is believable. It is better to miss one minute of class, then skip the whole class and have to catch up on all of the work you missed. It is ridiculous to have to sit in traffic or wait to cross the street in all efforts of getting to school, and then being punished for the school’s lack of organization.

School “starts” at 8:40 am, but that does not mean class starts at 8:40 am. The morning announcements take about five minutes each morning, which gives a few extra minutes to get to class without being late. Personally, in my morning classes, class does not start until about 8:50 am. I believe that should between that time, ten minutes of leniency should be given to students trying to enter the school.

Morally, going to school in the morning with a truthful excuse is better than skipping class so you can have a made up excuse. The next time you have to step in the office because you’re “late,” speak up and be confident.

Junior Elly Haushalter said, “There are some days I’m sitting in traffic for over 20 minutes, and then I have to wait to cross, and I’m late to school. It is ridiculous, and I know some kids who decide to just not come into school until after 1st period.”