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There is no doubt that school regulations promote a safe and well-controlled environment; however, there is a point where creating a rule for the sake of creating a rule does more harm than good.
Many students would argue that recent restrictions such as the off and out of sight policy and the absurdly strict dress code create unnecessary frustration and stress. Unfortunately, this trend of overreaching rules has continued with the introduction of a policy restricting the number of tutorial absences a student can have.
According to the 2022-2023 Attendance Guidelines, to earn course credit and a passing grade, a student’s unexcused absences must not exceed ten absences per class per semester. Prior to this year, this policy extended to every class except for tutorial. After all, a tutorial does not earn a student college credit or a grade. This year, South made the switch to treat tutorial like any other class.
In previous years, students were given the freedom to choose how to spend their tutorial time, whether that was remaining in class or getting called out by a parent to go off campus for the period. Some were able to complete schoolwork in a comfortable environment with fewer distractions, while some had the opportunity to take a longer lunch and relax. Either way, students had the chance to temporarily escape school stress.
The original attendance policy worked well for students and relied on the fact that students are mature enough to spend their free period in the most productive way. So why modify the policy if it wasn’t flawed in the first place? Grosse Pointe South should not have the power to micromanage students’ free time without proof that control is needed.
This new policy is on-trend with the excessive restrictions placed on students. It seems administrators often assume malintent and deprive students of privileges before they have the opportunity to show that they can make the right choices. Because attention is often turned towards the small minority of students who make unwise decisions, the responsible majority of students are punished.
Day after day, we hear South counselors and administration preach the importance of mental health. For many of us students, leaving campus for tutorial is a form of self care and a way to add balance into our long school days. It is a respite from the environment, people and pace that cause stress for many students. Administration should give us the opportunity to practice what they preach by allowing us to decide how to responsibly use our tutorial time.
