Each year, a group of seniors are selected to stand in various parts of the school and monitor the flow of hallway traffic. Senior Patrol is a tradition at Ludlow High School, but so is the criticism of that group.

I’m a part of Senior Patrol, and every day I deal with the same two things: people rudely and blatantly disregarding me, and comments along the lines of, “Senior Patrol is so dumb.”

To some, we’re annoying. To others, we just take up space in the halls. These are the people who don’t think rationally.

What’s going to take more time out of your day? Walking on a specific side of someone to go with the flow of traffic, or getting stuck in a group of people walking the other way because you’re too high and mighty to listen?

The problem isn’t with Senior Patrol. It’s with rude people who think they’re above everyone else.

I can tell you from experience, the worst of these offenders are the seniors themselves, who seem to think that just because we’re their peers, they can circumvent the hallway policy. Aren’t the seniors supposed to be the role models? You’re really not making your lives any easier when you’re showing underclassmen that it’s okay to go whichever way you want.

And, as for the people calling for our heads, wanting us replaced, consider how we were selected.

At the end of last year, Student Council held an election to determine which incoming senior would be Captain of Patrol. These are the people that you chose to represent you, deciding who would be best suited to carry out the responsibilities as Captain of Patrol.

The Captain then looked over a list of people who signed up, and chose those who were best suited to serve on Senior Patrol, those who would do it for the right reasons, and not just to get a two-minute pass to and from class.

It’s no coincidence that seven of the 11 members of Senior Patrol are also on Student Council; we’re the ones you determined were the leaders of the Class of 2012, and have proven that we can handle that responsibility.

Seniors, if you voted in last year’s elections, live with your decision. If you didn’t vote, live with your decision. This all stems from the decisions of the majority, and blatantly disregarding the Senior Patrol isn’t going to improve anything.

You’re the role models in this school. Start acting like it.