By Jack Weaver ’15 | Staff Writer

Detention time has been doubled for students receiving unexcused absences, which has led to some controversy in the halls of South, Principal Dr. Matt Outlaw said.

Put into action this year by the administration, the new unexcused absence policy states, that if a student misses class having not been excused, they will receive a two-hour detention, Outlaw said. The whole purpose of this policy is to decrease the amount of students who choose to skip class, and keep them actively learning.

“I think it’s a great policy,” said physics teacher Matt McGuire. “I don’t think students have any business being anywhere except where they belong. Unless their parents actually call them out.”

McGuire said he supports this new policy, mainly because he has had to deal with students skipping class numerous times before. He also said he believes that this new policy will encourage students who skip class to hopefully make smarter decisions and head in a more positive direction.

“If you’re skipping class, you have to make it up at some point,” said English teacher Danielle Peck. “I think the administration has made a good choice. I think it’s a great deterrent, and an appropriate consequence.”

Peck said it’s easy to understand why teachers are so supportive of this new policy. It helps not only with students skipping class, but also takes away the trouble of teachers having to worry about punishing these students on their own.

Although teachers may be supportive of the new policy, the student body has had some mixed reactions about the policy.

“There definitely should not be a two hour detention for the first offense,” said Mikey Schaller ’15. “When someone like me who doesn’t regularly skip class has one day where I just forget to be excused from a certain class I’m missing, I don’t deserve a two hour detention.”

Whether or not the policy will be relaxed for certain students is unknown yet, but it should be left up to the teacher to decide, Schaller said. Apart from these slight issues, most students agree the new policy is very beneficial.

“I fully support the administration with this policy,” said Student Association President Daniel Harris ’14. “I think this policy will help cut down on the number of unexcused absences that occur, helping South become an even more productive school.”

Students should not routinely miss class, especially when they attend such a prestigious school like South, Harris said. Instead they should be in class trying their hardest.

Love or hate, the policy is here to stay and as long as it is fulfilling its duty to keep students in class, almost everyone will be satisfied, said Peck. While South continues to reach outstanding academic heights, the new unexcused absence policy appears to be yet another benefit for this great high school.