Day Student Driving Policy Presented at Faculty Meeting
The Student Council Executive Board presented a draft policy during faculty meeting on Dec. 17 that would allow licensed upper and senior day students to drive boarders with parental permission. The proposed draft, revised from last year’s version, is one of Student Council’s biggest undertakings this year.
According to the current E Book, boarding students are restricted from riding in motor vehicles with licensed faculty members, licensed drivers over the age of 21 for day trips, and day students over 18 for overnight out-of-towns. The draft policy, if passed, would grant boarders greater access to off-campus activities.
“I think it is very hard to tell whether or not it’s going to pass,” Vanderslice said. “Different faculty and different members of the administration have different takes on whether it would pass or not, but we remain hopeful that the faculty will vote yes.”
According to Student Council co-secretary and upper, Audrey Vanderslice, the current board appended last year’s draft with additional rules, specifications and safety measures, including details on weather and permitted motor vehicles.
The Executive Board hopes this proposal will strengthen relations between day and boarding students. “Right now there is this disconnect, and it is challenging for day students to become integrated members of our community,” co-secretary and upper Ayush Noori said, drawing on his own experience as a day student. “I hope this policy [will] be integral to helping remedy that.”
The draft policy, a product of two years’ worth of extensive work, passed with a unanimous vote of approval in Student Council.
However, faculty had a wide range of opinions to offer, both against and for the policy, and will hold another meeting for further discussion before taking a vote.
Science Instructor Anne Rankin expressed concerns about the greater risk of accidents involving young drivers. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), motor vehicle accidents are a leading cause of death for American teens.
Mathematics Instructor Laura Marshall also voiced concern for potential pressure on day students to provide rides for their boarder friends. “We don’t want day students to be taken advantage of,” Marshall said.
Some faculty were supportive of the initiative, according to senior and Student Council President Elizabeth Yang. “Of course many of them have concerns of safety. On the other hand, many of them recognize driving as a typical, and potentially beneficial, part of high school life,” Yang said.
Upper and day student Allison Pendleton recalled instances where the absence of a day student driving policy prevented her from taking friends off campus for socializing activities since her parents, who are unavailable most days due to work, could not drive them. “We were all very hungry after Winter Formal, but I couldn’t take any of my friends to get food,” Pendleton said.
Upper and boarder Valentina Fernandez explained that the new policy greatly aids boarding students, especially during the snowy and freezing months of winter when they may wish to visit nearby stores. “If it’s just too cold to walk to get even the most basic necessities that you cannot get in Grill or the bookstore, you don’t have any options,” Fernandez said.
Upper and boarder David Kim argued that driving is essential to an authentic high school experience, adding that it will help to strengthen community bonds. “I know that at other public high schools, driving your friends is a high school experience,” he said. “I think we should get an opportunity to also get that experience with our day student friends.”
Senior and day student Gabby Allen agreed with Kim, adding that the policy will allow students to become more involved off campus. “I think there are a lot of things in the area that kids don’t take advantage of that they would if [they] could drive. It just gets you more involved in the outside community,” Allen said.
The future of this policy remains uncertain, but students are hoping for the best. “I think it is very hard to tell whether or not it’s going to pass,” Vanderslice said. “Different faculty and different members of the administration have different takes on whether it would pass or not, but we remain hopeful that the faculty will vote yes.”