Interview with a Pass-Holder:
Lawrence Middle School

I was given the opportunity by an outgoing student (thanks Emily!) to get some hands-on facts about the LMS pass system.
Below is the interview:

You explained a little of the school’s logic behind instituting the pass system, could you go into more detail? (e.g. you said there were two bomb threats; how far apart were they?)
The two bomb threats were in about a two week period, the teachers had gone through many measures prior to the instituting the pass system, like they canceled all extracurricular [activities] and locked all the bathrooms except for one at the farthest corner of the school.

Were any other security measures implemented (more hall monitors, metal detectors, security guards, etc) or was it just the pass system?
We always have had one district police officer that lurks around, but he doesn’t really do anything. Other than that it’s just the pass system.

How does the pass system work? Does each student receive a fresh card monthly, and each time it’s used, a punch is taken off?
You have to fill in where you’re coming from, where you’re going, and the time you leave and return, the teachers than have to sign it. We get a fresh card every month.

If you don’t use all your bathroom breaks in a month, do they roll over to the next month?
I actually asked that in class when we first got the passes, the teachers response? “What do you think this is, Cingular Wireless?”

Are there any special considerations for students with serious needs?
If you need to leave to use the bathroom more then three times in one day, you need a doctor’s note.

Are certain students (the ones perceived as exemplary students, great grades, no discipline problems) treated differently than others?
Nope.

What was the reaction of the parents upon learning of this new system?
They were appalled; they started petitions and got the media involved (that’s why there are tons of articles)

Are the teachers really very strict? In your case you mentioned forgetting your pass one day…the teachers really wouldn’t let you out?
Some are, some aren’t. My teachers wouldn’t let me leave, but some of the other teachers will write special passes depending on the reason.

What if a student has a digestive emergency/illness? Have there been any “accidents”?
None that I know of, but the schools a big place, there could have been one…

Do any teachers tend to ignore the pass system? Are they all equally strict?
They are all required to use the pass system, if they don’t the teacher and the student would get in trouble.

What has been the response of the student body to this? I’m sure over all it’s not well liked, but do the students seem okay with the idea of trading in some freedom for a greater sense of security?
Most of us think it’s really stupid, and none of us feel threatened by the bomb threats, we’re from a little school in the suburbs and the perpetrator of the bomb threats is probably some dork trying to get out of class.

Is it just the middle school that’s been affected, or have similar measures been implemented in the High school?
The high school had been using the pass system for a while, but theirs was much less drastic then ours.

I saw that LMS has recently increased the limit of bathroom visits from the 15 that were set at the beginning of this event, to 30. As a student, do you think this might be the first step to a complete repeal of the entire policy?
I hope LMS will eventually drop the policy all together, the only reason they raised the limit was because of all the media coverage. I can't speak for the whole school, but I think overall everyone's still pretty pissed that we have a limit [at all].

Picture of the pass is coming soon!