“If I had to enforce only one policy [at White Station], it’d be keeping students in class [and being] on
time.”
To say that Colonel Bailey, White Station’s newest administrator, has his hands full would be an
understatement. Yet, even with the hefty list of responsibilities placed upon his shoulders, Bailey considers
combating truancy, or class cutting, his number one priority.
“[Class cutting is] a deliberate intent not to go to class until you get caught,” Bailey said.
It is an action that has gained notoriety among White Station students. Most days, a quick walk across
campus reveals multiple students wandering aimlessly through the halls with a clear intention to be far from the
classroom.
But why do students choose to cut class?
“Something in the class makes [a student] uncomfortable,” Bailey said. “This could be anything from
disliking another student, disliking the teacher or not being prepared that day.”
In a recent poll of nearly 100 students, almost all answered that they had witnessed or had knowledge of
a White Station student skipping.
“I probably see [class cutting] every day, and I’m sure it’s happening every class period,” Blake Lindy
(11) said.
In fact, approximately three quarters of those polled said they witness class cutting on a daily basis.
However, nearly half believe that truancy is not a significant problem at White Station.
“It’s on students to attend class,” Jacquelyn Wong (10)said. “If [students] slip up, it’s their fault.”
Most students who skip are not regular offenders, while those who are often face significant punishment.
“When considering the volume of students, [class cutting] isn’t nearly as big a problem as one might
think,” Bailey said.
Punishments for truancy follow a progressive structure. Parents are contacted for first-time offenders,
but students caught cutting for the second or third time may face in-school-suspension or Saturday School.
If such consequences prove ineffective and a student is caught repeatedly skipping, he or she may face
expulsion.
Ultimately, administrators have made it a priority to keep students in class and learning. Administrators
are writing up class cutters caught roaming the halls. Teachers who teach classes with a reputation for being
skipped, like study hall, are maintaining proper attendance to weed out offenders.
The message is clear: stay in school, Spartans, and make your time here worthwhile.