On Tuesday, March 22nd, Carbondale Community High School is hosting a tardy party for their senior class. The seniors had the least amount of tardies out of all four classes. To attend the tardy party, students had to receive less than 3 tardies in the 3rd quarter. The students that are eligible received paper slip invitations with their names on them. At the party, each student will receive a frozen treat, and there will be music and card games. 

Personally, I think this idea is absolutely absurd. First of all, teachers and administration preach that high school is supposed to prepare us for college. The tardy party is extremely hypocritical of this statement. 

A senior student, Truth Marsh, agrees with this. She says, “ I just feel like we’re too grown to be having parties to be [at] school [on] time. They argue that they’re preparing us for college, but this is not at all preparing us for college.” 

College is never going to throw a party for students that show responsibility by showing up to class on time. In fact, after you’ve been absent so many times, certain college courses will kick students out of the class. If you’re kicked out of a course, you most likely flunk. 

Also, students, especially seniors, value their freedom and independence. With independence comes responsibility. In the world outside of school, no one is rewarded for being responsible. You are simply just expected to be responsible.  

The party is a very childish concept. We bribe and give incentives to little kids, not to teenagers who are almost adults. If the school feels they absolutely need to give incentives to improve tardiness, they should think of rewards that align more with adult ideas. For example, instead of giving students ice cream, students that were under the tardy limit would be put in a drawing for a small scholarship. Money is always a huge motivator for students, and it would definitely be more of an incentive than ice cream and a party.

However, I strongly believe that students don’t need to be rewarded for being responsible. As students get older and approach graduation, they want to be treated more like adults. The high school administration wants us to be more responsible and act like adults, yet they are treating us like kids. As an adult, you only get one chance to show up on time to appointments, meetings, etc. If high school is truly preparing us for college and the future, treat students less like children, and hold them accountable like an adult.