Black Knight Time or Waste of My Time?

Freshman+students%2C+Santino+Green%2C+Malachi+Banks%2C+and+Asher+Friedman+on+phones+during+class.+Accompanied+by+sophomores+Jadie+Bastiaan+Beatley+and+Sebastian+Krebs.+%0A%0A%0A

Photography credit of KTR photographer Connor Jackson.

Freshman students, Santino Green, Malachi Banks, and Asher Friedman on phones during class. Accompanied by sophomores Jadie Bastiaan Beatley and Sebastian Krebs.

Malcolm Brickhouse, Staff Writer and Publicity Manager

Black Knight Time was designed as a study hall during block days and as a way to get administrative announcements across to students throughout the course of the year. However, it has turned into something completely different. While this time was supposed to be for homework or studying, most students just use it as a time to relax and hangout with friends. 

First of all, one way this could be changed is by having it in the morning instead. The morning is a much more productive time of day compared with right after lunch at around two o’clock. Second of all, this sort of break period that BKT has turned into wouldn’t be a bad thing, except for the fact that you are allowed absolutely no freedom during it.

“It’s a waste of time” says Senior Ellie Detert. “It’s pointless because they don’t let us leave or see teachers.” This seems to be the popular opinion among the student body. Sophomore Sofia Lee agrees, saying that BKT is “BS” and “not enough time to get stuff done.”

While BKT could be placed at a much better time of the day, a break in the middle of a tough block day can be pretty relaxing and beneficial. However, why do the rules of BKT have to be so strict? 

I am consistently an honor roll student, don’t get in any serious trouble, and never skip class. Why am I not trusted by the administration to go to the library to study with a classmate, go to a friends class, or even go shoot hoops in the gym? Why is a time of day that has turned into a designated free period, so restrictive and, in reality, not free at all?

While the current restrictive measures taken on BKT are designed to keep kids from skipping school,  the students who want to skip can easily do it anyway, and actually already do. 

CHS has a great campus with a lot of awesome places including a beautiful garden, nice outdoor basketball courts, a brand new track, a massive library, and much more. Why can’t students use these facilities during the school day? Nobody does work during BKT, and almost everyone is on their phone usually playing games or scrolling through social media. Why is the administration keeping kids inside on screens? 

What I propose is that students should be allowed to go do things like play basketball, walk around the track, read in the library, or hangout with friends in another room. Teachers or administrators  could be assigned to post up at certain spots to prevent things like fights or reckless behavior.

BKT is a great idea but most of the students here think it should definitely be modified. Students should be free during their break period, not kept inside on screens.