LOCKOUT!

   ‘Lockout’,  this single word has evoked fear throughout Howard Middle School.  For the past couple of weeks, at random class changes, a sound that is very similar to the old style school bell, now rings.  When this bell rings, the remaining students in the halls run as fast as they can to their next class, as a last effort to avoid a detention.  If these student are late, they are not only the lucky winners of a detention, but they are also locked out of their class by their teacher. 

 But why start now?  Why didn’t it start earlier in the year?  Why did it start at all?  There have always been late students.  So what is so significant about now.? 97%of public school students in the state of Florida have been late to class at least once (real statistic).  But apparently, lateness in this school, seems to have  increased approximatly 58%.  So bottom line, tardiness has greatly increased in this school.  Therefore, the lockout is needed to remedy the problem. 

So what do the students think?  Hannah Butler said, “It doesn’t affect me much because when I’m late, I choose to be late but I don’t like how the kids are running through the hallways like it’s the end of the world.” 

Will this be the end of tardiness at Howard Middle School? Let us know your thoughts and give us the reasons why you are late to class.