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Should student’s be allowed off campus passes during school hours?

The Homewood Star Special Series: Homewood High School’s Debate Team Gives you both sides of the issue.

PRO:

We affirm the resolution that students should be allowed to obtain off-campus passes during school hours.

Contention 1: Off-campus passes would provide students with the opportunity to choose what foods they eat for lunch. There may be students who have certain dietary needs or preferences that the school simply cannot accommodate. Currently, there are many vegetarians in the school system who have limited options in choosing what to eat for lunch. Off-campus passes would remedy

this problem and provide nutritional variety for students.

Contention 2: Off-campus passes can be used as an incentive and motivator for students to earn good grades, make wise choices and maintain exceptional behavior. We suggest the following criteria for students who wish to obtain an off-campus pass:

Students with a Class II offense or higher would immediately forfeit the possibility of earning an off-campus pass.

Because of these parameters, students would feel motivated to maintain their

grades and avoid decisions that may get

them into trouble.

Contention 3: Off-campus passes will also help students manage their time and responsibilities. There is usually a positive correlation between students who are responsible and students who earn high grades. If a student leaves for lunch with

an off-campus pass, he or she has 25 minutes to eat lunch and return to school. If students fail to properly manage his or her time, he or she will suffer the consequences and lose the privilege of leaving campus during the day. Thus, students learn the importance of managing their time and shouldering the responsibility for their actions.

Because providing off-campus passes to students will provide lunch options for students with specific dietary needs, incentivize students to earn good grades and teach students the importance of personal responsibility, we urge you

to vote pro.

CON:

We negate the resolution that students should be allowed to obtain off-campus passes during school hours.

Contention 1: Off-campus passes are not beneficial because they are too expensive and hard to enforce; guards would need to be hired to enforce the

proper use of off-campus passes.

Also, Homewood High School has many entrances that would have to be

guarded. In 2010, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that security guards

earned an average annual wage of $26,870. That money could be used to

buy new books and enhance students’ learning experiences.

Contention 2: Another issue with off-campus passes is that learning is limited and/or compromised when a student is out of school using his or her pass. A student should be in the classroom learning in an academic environment during school hours.

A student with an off-campus pass might leave before a test, thereby avoiding the assessment. This gives students with passes an advantage over other students because they may have extra days to study or benefit from other students’ tips and

feedback.

Contention 3: During school hours, the school is responsible for the actions and whereabouts of its students. If a student were to steal, get in a fight, or engage in other illegal activities while off campus, the school is responsible for those

actions. The Office of Justice has evidence to show that violent crime is at its highest during the school day.

Off-campus passes are therefore a liability to the school. In summary, we negate the aforementioned resolution because off-campus passes are expensive and

would require additional security, they limit students’ learning, they could enable students to cheat, and the school would be held responsible for students’ actions while offcampus.

Providing off-campus passes to Homewood High School students would create problems rather than enhance students’ learning experience.

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