One thing about LHS that has always been known, dependable, and constant: students could maneuver their way through the school’s halls after school. This, however, is no longer the case.

One day I ventured into the school after a soccer practice at Baird Middle School. Unwilling to lug my school books on my walk to Baird, I left them in my locker.

Upon re-entering the school I find the main doors leading to the first ramp closed, and as I attempted to pull the door, I was shocked to find it locked.

Confused and worried that I would not be able to retrieve my books, I headed towards the gym to look for another way to the e-wing. Once again I was faced with locked doors. With no one from the office left to explain why I could not get to my locker, I sat there in a slight panic about how to retrieve my stuff.

Soon I was greeted by a janitor who would not help my predicament. Finally, I was let in by a drama student coming out from rehearsal. The point though is not that I got in, it’s that suddenly, with no notice, I am not allowed in my school.

Then that Wednesday I received some explanation, While sitting on the stadium stairs in the sports complex sardined between the fall sports teams, Athletic Director Tim Brillo warned all athletes that anyone found inside the academic wings of the school without a teacher or coach after school would be given a detention.

My question was why? Students have been constantly allowed to be in the school. Change isn’t necessarily bad except when it is not for the benefit, and in this case I do not see it benefiting anyone. According to administrators, the reason has to do with safety and security. Unsupervised students should not be allowed to roam the halls, they say. But it hasn’t been a problem before, so why the sudden change?

For those who participate in sports year round, they now cannot leave books or belongings in their locker and expect to retrieve them after practice; they now have to keep their belongings in the locker room, the only section of the school students will be able to access.

Although athletes are allowed access to the locker room after school and can keep their belongings there, it still poses a predicament. What if student athletes have to wait 30 or 45 minutes for the bus to their game? Will they have to wait outside? Do we really want to make the basketball players freeze in the winter? Or, will they get in trouble for waiting in the school?

It’s not just a problem for athletes. For example,  what if a student left her biology book at school and suddenly remembered that she has a test tomorrow? Or, what if a student forgot his math book and has 50 problems due first period the next day? When they finally get the chance to go back to school to retrieve their book or homework, the doors will be locked. Their grades will suffer.

This change creates problems for student athletes and forgetful students. We’ve been able access the school for years and there’s no reason to change the policy now.