A recent shift has taken place in the study hall, as students are no longer allowed outside without showing their schedules or permission from their teachers. Would we compare it to a holding cell for sleep deprived children no longer allowed to tekdek their little hearts out? 

That’s up to the reader. 

For years, study hall has presented itself as a safe escape from the rigor of our school environment. With honors, AP’s, extracurriculars, and more, many of us need to take a study hall with the limited amount of free time we have outside of school. Study hall should be a place to receive help where you need it, spend time decompressing, and finish up work. 

Often, students will use the library space to work during their free time: lunch, break, etc. But in the past few weeks, study hall teachers have begun to enforce a strict protocol. Students are required to sign in when they arrive, students not on the attendance sheet will not be allowed to stay in the room. Students are also required to have an email sent to a teacher by the study hall teacher, Tiffany Ordonez, for the absences to be permitted, even for short periods of time. Additionally, students are only allowed to eat snacks in the study hall instead of lunch. This can be frustrating, especially considering the lengthy wait for B lunch.

Though it’s important to use study hall time for work, there is something to be said for more leeway. After all, we are all highschoolers now. Why can’t we be trusted to attend class and use our time the way we see fit? For the most part, students at this school work hard. Limiting their free time and controlling their interactions is arguably more detrimental to their work flow than placing less restrictions on them.