Many students agree that they should have a say in their schools policies and rules. However, many administrators and teachers believe in making rules and have students go along with them, usually for the safety and well-being of others. Allowing students to have a say in the rules might help students’ learning and stress levels throughout the day, and a good academic school year.

For starters, the phone rules that were enforced this year, which is not a school rule, but a law in the school systems. Even though it’s not so much a rule, students still believe they should have had a say in what the decision was. Not just students but  some parents also believe that having their phones with them at all times is helpful for their safety, especially in emergencies. Additionally, students would enjoy it if they could have their phones out at lunch or during a break in between class work. On the other hand, students having their phones could cause a distraction during class, and do childish things while they should be focusing on their work.  

Another rule that students with they had a say in, is the tardy rule.  We all know that when the bell rings for class, and you’re not in class, you’re late for class, but if you’re less than a few seconds late, many students believe they shouldn’t be counted as late. If students are stopped by a teacher about something, or the hallway they take to the class is closed, students can’t control that they were a few seconds late. Although, some students will use “a teacher stopping them” as an excuse for talking to their friends, or taking a different way to see someone, which makes it harder for teachers to believe students that actually got stopped, making them late. Also with getting tardies, if students get a certain amount of tardies, students can get lunch detention, after school detention, and in school suspension.

  Dress code is another major rule enforced by many schools. Dress codes are meant to ensure clothing is appropriate and not distracting, as well as to maintain a professional learning environment.. One of the most used rules is hats and tank tops. Many girls are seen with tank tops, which could cause a desecration or schools like to keep a more professional look to their schools. Hats, on the other hand, are mostly seen with boys, either playing with them by throwing them in the air or playing with them throughout the day, causing a distraction, or for safety reasons, with having to see the students’ faces. Students believe that they should have a say in this rule because they want to wear their own clothes without other students getting distracted.  

Although homework is not technically a school-wide rule, many teachers assign it daily. Homework becomes a concern when it piles up and adds stress for students after school.. When students get home from school everyday, they don’t want to have to think about how much homework they have to do after school. This can be especially difficult for students who have demanding classes or exams later in the day.

As more students want a voice in the rules that impact them, ignoring their perspectives may lead to frustration or rule-breaking. Having students have a say in school rules  could help teachers and administrators understand their students more, and create a healthy, while still safe environment for everyone in the school.