A privilege of being a student driver at CHS is being able to park in the student lot. This year the lot has been filled with cars and new drivers who haven’t parked in these spots yet. In order to monitor and record the drivers and their cars, administrators require each car to have a parking pass to park in the student lot. When these passes were first introduced, many students hurried to get one in fear that they would get in trouble without it. Recently, rules regarding the lot have gotten stricter. Some days a teacher will stand at the entrance of the lot and ensure everyone has a pass. Without a parking pass, a car can be towed from the lot or asked to leave. 

This rule has been enacted for years, but only in these past two years regulations have gotten stricter. A few of the rules include: “Students are not permitted in the parking lot during school hours except when arriving and departing campus.” This means no visiting your car during the school day, or leaving campus. In an interview with Dr. Irizzary about the parking rules and regulations, he adds that student drivers are only allowed to park in the Student Lot, everywhere else is prohibited. Another rule is that “Music volumes must comply with the neighborhood noise ordinance,” this rule makes sense, but should it be punishable? The before and after parts of the school day are some of the best because they’re the moments of freedom before and after school, so the volume of music shouldn’t be regulated by administrators. 

Student drivers who have complied with the rule understand the reason behind parking passes but still have some questions. Sam Schuyler, a senior at CHS wonders “Why do we have to pay for a parking pass? For many, there is no other way to get to school so it doesn’t make sense to pay to park here.” The fee to park is $10 which is a reasonable amount, but the question of why and where the money goes remained unanswered for a while. Dr. Irrizary, Principal of CHS, stated that “the money received from parking passes goes to the passes themselves, traffic cones and other equipment used around the school.” The money not used for these things goes to activities and sports that students participate in. Ania Cafferillo, a senior and student driver, says that “it’s interesting that they (administration) are being so strict about the parking, given there was decreased bus availability because of COVID…just think it is interesting.” This is a logical thought and might be done unintentionally, but having strict rules makes it easier to break them and receive unjust punishment. 

Having the freedom to drive to and from school can be taken away if rules are broken, but these rules are in place to protect the student body. Dr. Irizzary says the main goal in monitoring the student lot is “For school safety, in order to ensure the cars here are the only ones that should be as well as to ensure that the drivers are safe and legal.”