Senior Class Presidents have tried and failed over the past few years to reinstate senior parking. It has been a common inconvenience for every senior with a car because walking the extra length from the Crown or Warner parking lots to class can be strenuous during the winter, and often feels unnecessary. When walking to first period at 8:05 in the morning, I see that the Atlass parking lot has roughly 15 to 20 empty spots. Admittedly, there are more than 20 seniors who drive to school every day, but there is no reason that these spots remain empty. Some students already take advantage of this and park in Atlass regardless of potential consequences from the DOS.
Originally, senior parking was removed due to Caxy Vans being parked in the Atlass lot. Seniors were upset, but understanding. Since the relocation of Caxy Vans, senior parking has not been reinstated. One solution for the school is to hold a lottery at the beginning of the year, similar to how local public schools manage their senior parking. For example, New Trier Township High School holds a lottery, as parking is so vital that people near the school sell their driveways for a couple of thousand dollars a year. For Lake Forest Academy, that would be illogical, but people still value parking. The lottery could be done annually, once a semester, monthly or even weekly to give every car a fair chance to park closer to class buildings.
Oftentimes, the walk from Crown or Warner can be the difference between being on time and receiving a point for being late. The argument is always there for students to just “leave earlier,” but there can be unforeseen traffic that causes arrival just before 8:10. Moreover, parking far away would surely result in a tardy point; parking in Atlass provides security and a fighting chance. Almost all of the faculty are able to fit their cars into the Cressey lot, and since they get first priority, the seniors should be able to take what is left.
During finals week, many students park in Atlass with no consequences. As this is the case, why shouldn’t it be like that during the rest of the year? Why should finals week mean that people are allowed to break the rules? Parking and morning rush hour would flow much more smoothly if there were no rule against senior parking, primarily. Sure, during finals week, everyone is burnt out, including faculty, but that is not a reason for everyone to get a pass without this being acknowledged. As students get a pass during finals week, they should also get a pass during the school year. There is nothing that should separate finals week from an average week at LFA, and senior parking should be a part of both.
Countless pros exist for the reinstatement of senior parking, compared to very few cons, if any. Senior parking makes nobody’s life harder; it solely makes their lives easier and gives the seniors more to look forward to. After working hard and three years of intense schooling, LFA seniors should gain this privilege. The lottery could be reward-based as well, motivating seniors to not fall into senioritis and keep their grades up. This solution would be appropriate and fair for both sides. Reinstating senior parking is a promising idea, and it would be a mistake for LFA to prevent it from coming back.
