Parking at school has become an issue for many students. It is frustrating since students have no choice but to attend school, yet are still expected to pay hundreds of dollars to park our cars. This situation feels unfair to both the students and their parents, who are often stuck paying the tickets. It is especially frustrating when there are instances where the parking meters are broken, so even if you intended to pay the meter you are still stuck with an expensive ticket.
A main problem students face is the lack of parking spaces. I understand that there is just not enough space for the school to give every student a parking spot, but this leads to people scrambling to get a place to park their cars. Many students find themselves coming to school almost an hour early just to find a parking spot. Not only does this add to more unnecessary stress, it also limits the amount of sleep each student gets, which is already limited. These repercussions could allow for more impulsive decision making that’s not always safe for the students.
Broken meters have also aided this growing problem. Students who already do not have enough spaces to park have to utilize any space we are given. It doesn’t make sense that the cities inability to keep their property working should end up costing more for the people themselves. It’s outside of our control whether or not the meters are working, so why should we have to pay the consequence for something students had no part in. This also further adds to the inconsistency of parking.
I think there could be multiple solutions to this problem. The most obvious is getting rid of the parking meters outside of South altogether. While I do know that this is not possible for the school to do, they should still be advocating for their students. The other possible solution, although it’s not my preferred choice, would be for the city to keep the meters working. The best option would be for the school to create more parking spaces for everyone. Although it’s not realistic, making it a long term goal would be in the best interest of the students in the south.
The city and school shouldn’t be adding extra stress to high school students. We all should be doing what we can to make a better environment for everyone. By addressing this issue, school life can be made a little easier.
