School’s Tardy Policy

Re “High School’s Tardy Policy,” Letters to the Valley Edition, June 13.

Is it possible the young man from Van Nuys High School doesn’t realize that one student coming late to a class can affect the dynamics of an entire class? Perhaps in his rush to get to his seat just a little late, he hasn’t noticed that 30 students and one teacher are in the midst of a learning experience. As he slams the door, hustles to his seat, bangs down his book bag, rifles through it for a pencil (which probably needs to be sharpened), paper (he may have to borrow), book (which he likely left in his locker) and then asks the student in the seat next to him to tell him what is going on, doesn’t [he] realize he is causing an epic disturbance? Perhaps the lesson in the cafeteria is meant to bring that message home. But then some students have an arrogance that simply keeps them from getting the message.

JOAN MARTIN

Woodland Hills

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John W. Lee asks how a tardy policy that rounds up the latecomers and sends them to the cafeteria complements the objective of learning at Van Nuys High School. Although I have no association with the school, perhaps I can hazard a guess.

The people who benefit from this policy are the students who are in their classrooms before the bell rings. As Lee points out, the habitual offenders do not place academics as a high priority. It sounds like one school finally got smart and, instead of making every effort to encourage students to attend classes when they have demonstrated no desire to be a part of the learning process, they have concentrated on the students who actually want to learn.

Lee states that both parties lose out, but he forgets the third and most important party: the student who comes to class on time and deserves an environment free from the distractions caused by those who don’t take education seriously.

CHRISTOPHER MASON

Woodland Hills