Students don't need lunch-break driving
Parked vehicles in the senior parking lot at a Long Island high school. Credit: Newsday/Staff
Students don't need lunch-break driving
Regarding the debate over high school campuses being opened or closed, the open-campus proponents claim that allowing students to leave the school grounds will foster “independence and responsibility” ["Open-campus scrutiny," News, Jan. 11]. That is a tall order for adolescents whose prefrontal cortex, responsible for decision-making and prioritizing, is years away from being fully developed.
As a retired teacher with decades of driving experience, hastening to get anything done off school premises in 40 minutes was always a challenge. I shudder to think of teenagers maneuvering through a time crunch with a bare minimum of driving experience. Having teen passengers likely adds to the probability of a driver making poor decisions. They should hone their driving skills in a more relaxed environment, not between classes.
From a district’s perspective, it seems to be a logistical and legal nightmare to allow students to leave campus because the school is responsible for that child’s safety during the school day. The bare minimum any school can offer parents is the peace of mind of knowing where their children are and that they’re safe.
Luana Dunn, Medford
My son, Robert Lucas, was not given the opportunity to "transition into adulthood" and experience the many joys that life could offer him. He was the 17-year-old Patchogue-Medford High School student killed on Oct. 11,1994 when he was a passenger in a car driven by a fellow band member on lunch break. The heartbreak of losing Robert lingers to this day and cannot be described.
I am relieved that the school district has continued the closed-campus policy. Dismissal time is early enough for participation in outside activities and to "develop independence." I sincerely hope all school districts will follow this lifesaving policy.
Rosemary Lucas, Patchogue
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