Arguing For Independence

As we all deepen into the school year, new seniors begin to take the path of claiming their independence with senior privileges. Senior privileges allow seniors to go off campus during the seniors’ free periods as long as they promise to return when needed or when other classes take place. 

The process starts off about two months into the school year, when everybody has warmed up to the year. This year, the seniors met in the Muller Auditorium to have a class discussion without advisors or the grade deans to discuss why they deserve privileges and how they will improve or show up to the challenge of a large responsibility.

After the grade conversation, a meeting between six students and Rusty Regalbuto, the Grade dean, takes place. The meeting presents the thoughts and opinions of the students, gathering their opinions and taking them to Regalbuto for him to make the official decision whether or not to introduce privileges. 

No matter what happens, seniors should continue to receive these privileges because they need to learn about independence. The seniors are nearing the end of their high school years and will move to college without a proper introduction about how to handle timing and fluctuating schedules. Taking these privileges away would blind the seniors from learning to take responsibility and care of themselves.

One benefit that senior privileges have is the ability to teach students without one lesson. Students themselves will gain their own knowledge of when to come in for school, depending on their schedules, just as the original time stamps, including morning assembly and individually assigned classes.

It may just seem like privileges are a way to get out of school, but Teen Coach Academy says, “Such skills are beneficial not only academically but in all aspects of life, promoting a balanced approach to work and personal commitments.” 

Leaving students the opportunity to learn is letting them figure out their own success and patterns that work for them. If seniors want to take advantage of their privileges and cause multiple absences, then consequences are handled, but the majority of students ease into the change. 

Now that students have the ability to manage their own time, a thought may be passed around about taking advantage of these privileges. Another article, called “Talking to Graduating Seniors About Independence” by Psychology Today, covered handling consequences that students put themselves into. They said, “[Seniors] don’t realize that every time they default on any kind of social contract, they are letting themselves down…Own up to your decisions, and face the consequences of poor choices when they occur.”

Most of the seniors are adults, while all of us are planning to graduate in less than a year and move on to college. Graduating from high school is the beginning of growth as new adults, and we need to learn how to be responsible and how to handle our mistakes that may result in consequences.