School Board has made it mandatory for students to have a parking pass whenever they use either the main or stadium lots. Which is fair—you need to have proof that you’re actually a student and not some squatter. But do most find it fair that you have to pay a whole $150 in order to park in the main lot?

It is understood that the school needs revenue for iPads and new advancements within the school, but a majority of schools not only in the U.S, but throughout the world don’t get iPads or even computers in their schools. The school is an extremely privileged setting in which it continues to make the students pay for unnecessary things like a parking pass.

“I think it’s necessary, but I don’t know why it costs so much.” junior Caraline Anderson says. 

In thinking of whether or not you have a main lot pass or not, it shows whether you can afford it or not. A majority of the students who go to PHS, do not have high income families, so they aren’t able to get the passes. In a school filled with half free and reduced lunch qualifiers, it shows socio economic standards within the school. It’s ultimately saying that, if you can’t afford it, you can’t park with those who can. This in fact, isolating them from a hierarchy of children who can afford it.

“I don’t support the fact that we have to pay a fee because because not all students have the means to spend on parking.” senior, Rawan Ali says.

Spending money on parking when students could be using that for rent, school supplies, or more important things is not ideal for most.

Telling students that you can buy your way to an easier situation is sort of what the district is doing, unitential, but it still passes by as that.

About 3,000 students go to the PHS everyday. Among those, hundreds drive to school. A majority of those students park in the main lot. Is it considered unfair that people who are basically paying their way, can get to school later because they don’t have to walk the quarter mile from the stadium lot? There are some people who come to school at 6:00 and can’t park in the main lot because they didn’t pay for it. Clarify the distance

“It’s not necessary in my opinion” junior, Maja Sanocki says.

The district receives 44.4% of local government property tax revenue, and also gets donations from a multitude of charities and organizations like Homecoming, Boosters Club, Football concessions and games, and Breast Cancer Awareness T-shirts.  With all of these profits, the district still needs money for students to park in their lots. With all of these profits, the district still finds it important to drain students for revenue through ridiculous fees.