DISCIPLINE: Students face stricter enforcement of newly and formerly established school policies.
By Matt Kaye, News Editor
On top of the year’s new events, the enforcement of school policies increased, catching student attention and bringing forth student response.
As part of a comprehensive review of the school’s policies, Principal Dr. Michael Roe, in his first full year as principal, and other Poly administrators created a new protocol to deal with issues including student parking, daily tardiness and the use of electronics in the classroom. They made necessary and beneficial adjustments which expanded school curriculum, magnified the importance of student attendance, improved guidance counseling and, most notably, emphasized enforcement of all of these policies by way of discipline. As noted in a July release posted on polydiscipline.weebly.com, “a strong progressive discipline policy must be matched with numerous opportunities for students to demonstrate desired behavior along with a balanced approach and process of consequences.” The changes appeared after a full year of observation during the 2013-2014 school year—the year in which the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) was due to renew the school’s six-year accreditation.
New discipline policies were implemented this year which made offenses to school policies a serious issue. Now, students who misuse the parking lot—an offense previously undocumented—are subject to detention, revocation of parking privileges and parking tickets. An unverified absence or truancy will earn a student Saturday school and if persistent, the Short Term Optional Placement (STOP) intervention program. The STOP program was designed as an alternative to a suspension. Although previously utilized, Poly administration increased the program’s use as a form of discipline for excessive truants, Saturday school no-shows and repeated inappropriate use of personal electronics.
When it came to dress code, the administration only made slight alterations, leaving the policy mostly unchanged. That would not be the case for enforcement, however. This year, the most common violations involve exposed midriffs and shorts that are too short. As school policies became more strictly adhered to, students who have attended Poly for three or four years received the surge in enforcement with shock. One student, a senior, was approached by a campus aide and asked to report to the office because she believed the student’s high-waisted denim shorts were too high. She was then required to change before returning to class. Whether or not consistency appears in this type of enforcement is still up for debate. The dress code states that inappropriate clothing includes “8.) Dresses, shorts and skirts too short to be considered within the bounds of good taste,” leaving the decision to the perception of school officials. The student involved in this specific incident felt conflicted. “I have worn them both last year and multiple times this year without any issues,” she said. When asked about her thoughts on the uptick in enforcement, she said, “I’d say it’s excessive.”
Whether or not the changes are beneficial for the school environment remains questionable. Poly administration believes the policies add a balanced approach to the learning process while students reply with skepticism. However students may feel, the procedures of handling code compliance are here to stay.