Closed campus reminder serves as mental reset for Staples student body
Officer Ed Wooldrige hasn’t noticed an alarming spike in the number of leaving students, but believes the announcement was beneficial and clearly outlines expectations.
September 17, 2022
Principal Stafford W. Thomas Jr. made an announcement over the loudspeaker regarding Staples’ closed campus policy last week. This outlined the zero-tolerance policy: anybody caught coming back or leaving the school during the day without a note receives an automatic four hour Saturday detention, with the exception of coming after the first period, or leaving after a student’s last class of the day.This served as a “gentle reminder”, Thomas said, that parking on campus or at Wakeman remains a privilege, just as the campus now remains closed.
While School Resource Officer Ed Wooldridge says he hasn’t seen a spike in the number of violations to the closed campus this year specifically, the announcement was necessary.
“I have not observed it being worse. Maybe last year it was a little worse, which is why [Thomas] made the announcement: to make it clear we have a closed campus,” said Wooldridge.
But some students didn’t hear the announcement. Zoe Boxenbaum ’25 said she didn’t initially hear the loudspeaker, but once she heard the punishment she decided leaving wasn’t worth it.
I have not observed it being worse. Maybe last year it was a little worse, which is why [Thomas] made the announcement: to make it clear we have a closed campus
— Officer Ed Wooldridge
“I feel like a lot of people do it anyway. But I wouldn’t because it’s not worth it to me to leave for an hour if I had to be here for four hours on a weekend,” Boxenbaum said.
When asked about the efficacy of the announcement, David Dubois from the front desk noted that the announcement cut down on the amount of people leaving unexcused, but not the number of people leaving in total.
“Not less people but they are getting permission and bringing notes instead of just leaving on their own,” Dubois said.
Students who did hear the announcement reconsidered the risk of leaving.
“The announcement was intimidating,” Daisy Fording ’24 said. “I never left campus before, but now I am more precautious and will always stay during the day because I can’t afford a four hour Saturday detention.”
