WS tends to have a new policy every year that students dislike. This year it appears to be the “locking the doors” policy.

While I recognize the obvious benefits of this new policy, with the school’s safety and security intentions in mind, the number of negatives of this policy out way the positives by far. First of all, with the school’s doors locked from 7:20 to 2:10, Monday through Friday, there are many inconveniences for students and other people trying to enter the building during this time period.

The students with classes in trailers can only go through three select doors that are unlocked during the passing periods. This is inconvenient in that there becomes a backup of students waiting at these doors to get back into the school after their trailer class has ended. I am lucky enough to not have a trailer class this year; however, I know from previous years without this policy, that there was already a crowd of people trying to get inside by some of the doors. This year I can’t imagine what the backup must be like.

Now students who have trailer classes have new bathroom passes so they can get inside when the doors are locked. Teachers have to give them passes with a card on it that students have to swipe at the entrances to be able to open the doors. This can be a major inconvenience if teachers have to stop their class and instruction to get out a special pass for one student.

To add to the negatives of this new policy, students at WS that have gone here in previous years have learned short cuts that involve going outside to get to classes. This is important to the flow of traffic in the hallways because with the doors locked, students have to stay inside when walking to classes, which crowds the hallways drastically. The hallways were already really crowded last year, but with this new policy of locked doors, the hallways are even worse, which I didn’t think was possible.

I think I speak for the rest of the senior class when I say that I want to get the most of my senior year, which involves standing at senior rail in between classes and before and after school. However, with the doors locked during this time, senior rail is more crowded than ever. This makes standing there much less enjoyable because I don’t enjoy getting hit in the backpack by underclassman walking by every few seconds.