Upperclassmen at PHS are not being treated fairly. Many of our juniors and seniors are taking 8am classes at Lincoln Trail College each morning. This means nearly half of PHS’s student body doesn’t arrive on campus until roughly 9am. When these students arrive they have to park in the student lot behind the school and make the trek around the building to enter the school. The underclassmen, as well as those who aren’t enrolled in off campus classes, enter through the back door each morning, making it more convenient for them. We upperclassmen want the same opportunity.

It is known that many high school students have overly busy schedules. As a result, each morning when we arrive at school we have to bring everything with us that we will need for the day. Students walk in hauling their loaded down backpacks, lunchboxes, sports bags, gym clothes, work clothes, and anything else their day may require. So not only are we overburdened with all of these things, but we are also having to make the hike around the school while doing so. Each day that I entered the building last week, the temperature ranged from 18 to 25 degrees. These extreme temperatures only add to the list of reasons we should be allowed to enter through the back door. 

Several arguments have been made against opening up the back door. Wanting students to get the “college experience” and safety concerns are among these. I personally don’t believe that getting the “college experience” is a good argument. If PHS students were getting the true “college experience” we would be given a huge amount of opportunities of which we are not being offered. Opportunities of the college experience include a range of classes that we would never be offered on a high school campus, as well as clubs, people from different backgrounds, internships, and exposure to new and different things that we’ve never had the chance to at home. That to me is a better definition of the true “college experience” than taking a hike around the building in the mornings. 

To address the safety concerns, one of the main reasons we are not able to enter the backdoor is because it would have to remain unlocked and unsupervised for a period of time. I understand why this is not an option. However, I believe that the same system that is used to protect the front entrance could be used on the back door as well. This would ensure that the door would remain locked and supervised while still making it a feasible entrance for off campus students. I believe that allowing the students to use the back door would also ensure their safety as they would be able to enter the building much quicker if there were any irregular activity outside the school. 

Altogether, allowing and providing a way for students to enter the building through the backdoor would be a great investment in their well-being. There are a number of reasons, a few of which I have provided, that this would be a wise decision. Current and future off campus students would be undoubtedly grateful. 

As a disclaimer, I would like to make it known that Mr. Will does continuously go out of his way for us students. Just one example of this is him escorting students inside with an umbrella in the rain, sleet, and snow. While we would love to enter the backdoor everyday, this act of kindness is greatly appreciated.