PRO: Assigned parking is more beneficial for Patriot drivers
Assigned parking should be added at John Carroll. This would help create much less confusion when students pull into school and would keep from students from getting mad when they come to school and “their spot” is taken.
Imagine you are a senior, and you are coming in late because of Senior Privilege. You drive around the parking lot, trying to find a spot. You cannot find one because they are all filled, so you park behind the dance building.
You must walk even longer into the building and risk the fact of being late — all because there is not assigned parking, and people who don’t have a parking permit like you do decide they would park in the student lot wherever they wanted.
Even worse yet, you come in a bit late due to Senior Privilege, and you can’t find a space at all. You have paid for a space, and there are no spaces available. What happens then?
At this point, there is a major problem here. People without passes are parking in the lot. Having assigned parking spaces can work to eliminate this problem.
Students without parking passes are taking spots in the front of the parking lot, and it is frustrating for students who come to school closer to the bell, have Senior Privilege, and have passes and can’t get parking.
If a student would have an assigned parking spot, that spot would be guaranteed. If someone without a pass parked there, they would be easily identified and could suffer the consequences.
Students often have preferred spots and park there every day. However, if someone does park in “their” spot, there is some frustration and resentment. That’s not a great way to begin the day.
Less accidents would be caused because people would be going to the same spot every day — not a different one. When people go to different spots every day and park simply wherever, so much cluster is created and may cause anger within drivers which could lead to collisions in the student lot. This has happened in the past.
Having assigned parking could allow seniors to get first pick, meaning when they arrive from having Senior Privilege in the morning, they would not have to go fishing for a spot in the back; they can simply just park in the spot that they are assigned, too.
Assigned parking would also eliminate people from parking on campus illegally. It would show who paid and who did not. Yes, we have parking passes right now, but how beneficial are they really when people without them keep parking wherever they want in the student lot?
With assigned parking, those without permits would be lost with where to park. The person whose spot they took would be able to simply just report that their spot was taken, and the offender would be in trouble and must move.
The pros to assigned parking outweigh the cons which goes to show why JC should add assigned parking next year or maybe even next semester. – Grace Marchetti
CON: Students need to keep the freedom to get parking spots
Usually by junior year, students are old enough to drive. With this new freedom, they can park in the student parking lot.
Parking in the student lot brings excitement for students. They do not have to go through the oval to be dropped off by their parents. They can choose where they want to park and can see their friends in the morning.
Why would students want the school to take away a new-found joy: the ability to choose where they want to park?
The student parking lot currently has a first-come, first-served parking rule. This is fair to all because it does not always guarantee someone a bad spot.
If the school assigned parking, some people would be at the back of the lot and would never get the chance to park in the front.
With this freedom, students can also choose who they would like to park close to. In the morning, many students park next to their friends, hang out before school, and then walk into the building together.
Not having assigned parking gives students the responsibility to select their spots. Students decide what time they arrive to school, determining whether they park in a close or far spot.
This makes students more inclined to get to school earlier, benefiting everyone: teachers, staff, parents, and students who are also driving onto campus in the morning.
While some may argue that having assigned parking is “fair” because it is random, not having assigned parking is fair because students can pick different parking spots when they want. One day someone could be in the back, and the next day they could be in the front, allowing everyone the chance to get a good spot.
Often in real life, people do not get the chance to have assigned parking wherever they want. In many jobs, people park anywhere available. When running errands, people pick whatever spot they can, whether it is in the back or the front of the parking lot.
JC prepares people for the real world, and this is not different. It introduces this idea of responsibility and decision-making.
There is no upper hand when it comes to deciding where to park.
If you come early, you get a better spot.
While this may be unfair in some circumstances, it is fair to most of the student body.
Also, first-come, first-served parking causes less chaos than assigned parking. When students know that they need to have a good parking spot on a certain day, they can easily achieve this by getting to school early. If there is assigned parking, students have no choice but to park in their spot.
While there are flaws to any parking system, the first-come, first-served parking system is best. – Emily Kerr