As many would know, there was a lockdown at Oakland Tech on March 10th. Later that day, Mr. Price emailed everyone, explaining there had been a report of a wounded man on campus. Many incidents have arisen ever since the return from quarantine. One of the biggest is the need for more security with students going to the upper campus. This lockdown protected students inside the school but wouldn’t cover those walking up to the upper campus. The lack of communication between the students and the facility on specific policies is also a big problem. New rules are placed; typically, it’s either a small group of people who knows why or the entire school knows, and contemporary issues arise. One example would be the latest alarm systems. We should improve our school’s safety from the inside and out through communication with students and transportation to the upper campus.
It is dangerous for students to walk up and down to the upper campus by themselves. The streets aren’t safe for students to stride up every single day. There is an increased risk of kidnapping, significantly worse when a student walks alone. One student responded, “Walking up to the upper campus feels unsafe with all the strangers on the streets.” Furthermore, there is a risk of being injured by cars because students have to cross the streets. This issue can be avoided with transportation, like a school bus that leads to the upper campus during passing periods and lunch.
The complaints I’ve mainly heard from others is that these policies are suddenly implemented without giving students a say, specifically regarding the alarm system. These alarms are loud and distracting. Although one of its purposes is to prevent students from using the doors, this doesn’t apply to the students who still leave and end up disrupting other classrooms. “The bells distract me during my tests, and then I can no longer focus,” an eleventh-grader said. In addition to this, the locked doors block off exits. This causes all the students to flood the front doors. I know I haven’t been the only one to be pushed around by others because of this. This also can cause any diseases or viruses, like COVID, to spread because everyone is so close to one another. Many people must take the bus home or hurry for an event, and the locked doors are causing many issues. A solution to this problem can be removing the alarm bells. Instead of placing these policies alone, students should be allowed to vote or a way to speak on issues it could bring.
Through our awareness of these upcoming issues, we can overcome challenges by keeping a connection between students and the facility and speaking up for our safety. Students need a safe transportation method to the upper campus, like school buses, because it can be dangerous. Also, students should be able to speak out against these policies because sometimes, they could hinder the student’s learning and lead to safety hazards. People should always advocate for themselves and their rights because sometimes the voice you silence inside has the most reason and effect on you.