The Grade Saving Rule

Not every student can make a perfect grade on their test or do a project to full completion on their first attempt. So to be stuck with those grades could feel unfair if one ends up learning it better a little down the line. 

That’s why the Memorial High Schools retest rule is so good. It allows students to retest on subjects up to an 85 so that they can correct their original mistakes. The rule allows students to have a little less pressure on their tests while also promoting the reinforcement of the skill after it is over. “Melissa Legg, a middle and high school teacher in Minnesota, says retakes do allow students to better grasp material because they study more before taking the test again” (Washington post).  

But some could say that the rule doesn’t push the idea of focusing as much in class or it not being a good way to learn from your mistakes. But rather than students failing the test and instantly bumming out they can look hopefully at their mistakes and try to better them so that they can have a higher grade. “Every year, over 1.2 million students drop out of high school in the United States alone” (dosomething.org). Students are at risk of dropping out of school and or quitting because the stress of grades can get out of hand, but retesting it shines a faint light of chance to correct their mistakes and maybe stop a student from outright quitting.

The fact that not every student is on the same level of averages or efficiency as other students is understandable. But the retest rule lets those different students be able to not so intensely reflect themselves off of other grades. It allows them to rework their mistakes and focus on a subject that maybe they just couldn’t get in time, making it a great rule to promote learning and grades.

Phones not allowed in classrooms    

Frisco ISD states that Cell phones or other electronic devices used for communication are banned from classrooms during any assessments/testing administrations. Phones or other electronic devices may not be kept in pockets, jackets, purses, backpacks, etc. Within the designated classroom during assessments. If a Student uses such a device, leaves the device turned on, or displays the device during this time, it will result in confiscation of the device. The device will only be returned to a Parent or Guardian.

 According to Oxford Learning.Com, Students check their phones in the classroom an average of more than 11 times a day. That can add up to a lot of time spent distracted from schoolwork. And when students are distracted, it’s a recipe for extra stress, frustration, and catch-up time for everyone. 

 However,  according to StudentTutor.Com, If smartphones are allowed in school, Students will have easy access to more information and therefore will be more participating during class discussion. Being able to search up facts in just a few clicks is one of the biggest advantages of using technology.

 Cell phones can be a helpful learning tool in class.  The Journal of Communication Education found that students without mobile phones performed better in several different areas.  But they can also be used by Students to get access to information while taking a test, leading to cheating. This can lead them to poor understanding and bad grades in the future. 

 In Conclusion, Students shouldn’t bring their phones to classrooms because it leads to Students’ bad grades and poor understanding.

Rules on Earbuds

Earbuds or headphones have been around for many decades. Especially when it was first invented in 1910 by Engineer Nathaniel Baldwin, at his kitchen table. Now since earbuds or AirPods are popular and are in high demand, students across the world have been using them to watch videos and listen to music. As a result, FISD creates a set of rules for the use of earbuds and AirPods, by saying that “students may have one earbud in and one out when walking around the school,” in Section III of the Frisco ISD handbook. 

This rule has been around for years, approximately 2010. This rule is used for the benefit of the students’ attention in schools and communication with other students and teachers. Memorial High School and other schools across America have implemented this rule. “The problem that we have is when you’re walking down the hall with two earbuds in and we are asking to get your attention, you don’t hear us. It’s a respect thing, we ask that when you’re in the building to only have one in, so if we need to get your attention we can call your name instead of chasing you down,” says Scott Warstler, principal of Liberty High School. 

Others may say that it’s not bad or disrespectful to wear both earbuds when walking the school. “Many students in art classes use music as inspiration for their art, and not being able to listen to music without hassle on their earbuds is quite the annoyance,” stated in the article by Whirlwind, a site for opinion articles. However, this rule is to help students become alert to their surroundings. “The main reason given for why the administration decided on this new rule was because of a particular scenario that happened at South Albany where a student could not hear a safety alarm because their headphones were in,” says an article by Whirlwind. If students aren’t able to hear the alarms, then how will they be safe?

This rule is for the benefit of the students and teachers. Students should follow this rule in order for teachers to grab their attention easier and to stay alert in case of an emergency or threats in the school.

Vehicle Searches: Invasion Of Privacy? 

FISD states,  in the student handbook, that the district itself has every right to search a student’s vehicle that is driven to school whenever there is the belief that the student’s vehicle contains prohibited articles or contraband. A student’s refusal to allow the search can end in several consequences including both in-school and out-of-school suspension, loss of parking privileges, loss of any extracurricular activity participation, and more. 

This rule is vital to the safety of not only students but of faculty and staff as well. The rule is in place to keep prohibited items and articles off of school grounds in order to protect those that are a part of FISD. With the rule in place, any student that has raised suspicion of containing any possible dangerous or illegal items within their vehicles is subject to a search. These searches are not because the district wants to infringe on one’s rights, it’s to allow every student and faculty member to feel both safe and at ease as they go about their day. 

However, it’s understandable as to why many parents and students may oppose this rule. On the basis of privacy, these searches seem to present borderline infringement on a student’s right to privacy. With some searches possibly being baseless, innocent students could have their properties searched if any false accusations or information are provided. 

Despite this, however, it’s essential that this rule is not only present but enforced. For the safety of every student and faculty member, anything and everything must be investigated if there is information of any prohibited items based on the FISD rule book. The district does not intend to violate the rights of any student, but it will do everything in its power to keep everyone as safe as possible. 

New benefits of E-Hall Pass

When coming back to school during this pandemic we had to come up with some ideas that will keep everyone safe and distant. The bathrooms used to be social centers for vaping, chatting, and broken property. “Almost 21% of U.S. high-school students now vape(…)E-cigarette use increased 79% among high-school students” According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Door’s mirror sinks would be ruined throughout the school year. There have also always been problems with too many people in the hallway and in the bathroom.

Memorial High School believes that being able to use a tracking system called E-Hall pass is the best option for the safety of our students and our school. With only two bathrooms open violation of school property is minimized, and fewer students are in the halls.

This new program doesn’t just help limit the capacity of the bathroom it helps allow everyone in the hall to have a purpose on where they are going. “Benefits include effortless hall pass creation and approval, instant logging of time in the hall, real-time hall traffic data, and powerful student monitoring capabilities. Its dynamic, cutting-edge dashboard captures all data related to student hall passes in order to revolutionize classroom management” Jessica Champion Eduspire solutions. We understand that students don’t see the benefits because the bathrooms are far from classes and it’s always full; however, the benefits of safety overrule. 

Incorporating this, students are finally safe learning in their classrooms rather than hanging out in the bathrooms. Now our bathrooms are used for the right purpose. Students can be unpredictable, but we have that covered with an E-Hall pass.

Why The E-Hall Pass Is Beneficial

Coming into the 2020-2021 school year in the middle of a global pandemic was a risky move that the FISD was willing to take. There were many different precautions taken by the FISD to keep us safe but among them was the bathroom E-Hall Pass. The bathroom pass system keeps a limited and distant amount of people in the bathroom. It only allows 4 people at a time in each bathroom.

This system is believed to be the best and safest way to limit the spread of coronavirus throughout the building. Understanding that there may be a wait to use the restroom, the pass will keep you safe at the end of the day. The system also helps the admin know where you have gone in case of an emergency. “It keeps track of where a student is heading as they move around a school building. At the same time, it gives teachers a sense of who is in different parts of a school building. Unlike the paper version, a digital hall pass is a contactless option. It avoids the swapping of a physical pass between students.”(EdTech), sponsor of Eduspire.

Knowing that some students like to leave class to go to the bathrooms to hang out in groups this system doesn’t allow it. It keeps a maximum of 4 students in a bathroom at once. If something bad was to ever happen like someone destroying property in the restroom E-Hall Pass knows who was in the bathroom at all times. “E-hall pass terms state they collect personal information such as first and last names, user email addresses, user graduation years, and other information collected automatically when users visit the service.”(Common Sense Privacy Program). 

Although some kids may not like this new system we go by, It keeps us safe. Our bathrooms are used correctly and the time we spend out of class is being shortened so we learn more. At the end of the day, it will stop the spread of Covid-19 and makes schools safe to attend again.

Frisco ISD Earbuds’ Policy

The earbuds policy is a policy put in place by Frisco ISD to keep the students safe and attentive while at school. The Student Handbook states that students should only wear one earbud while on campus unless a teacher has directed them they can have both in. The earbuds rule is put in place so that if you are in the hall and a fire drill or another type of emergency or announcement is going on, you are able to hear it. This is also if a teacher or administrator is trying to talk to you. In the hallways or classroom. If you do have both of your earbuds in then the administration will ask students to remove one earbud if they are seen listening to music with two earbuds in their ears. 

“We want to be able to communicate with students, and sometimes when they have both earbuds in, they can’t hear when we are calling to them,” assistant principal Kristen Sommers at Frisco Liberty Highschool said. “So it was really a safety concern for us.”

 School administration has implemented this policy requiring students to have one ear free of a headphone in light of safety concerns. Making this policy be enforced in the hallways, cafeteria, and other communal settings on campus. While in classrooms, the teachers will define their policy on the subject at their own discretion.

According to the article, security officer Stan Caples conducted an experiment where he yelled “Get down!” in one of Lincoln’s hallways, and a student only 30 feet away did not hear him because he had earbuds in. 

I know as a student, while you are in the halls sometimes you just want to have both of your headphones in and zone out. Or maybe your favorite artist just came out with some new music and you want to listen to it with both headphones in. I also know that some people just wear them to let people know not to talk to them. 

 “It’s a respect thing, we ask that when you’re in the building to only have one in, so if we need to get your attention we can call your name instead of chasing you down.”Warstler, a Frisco Liberty HighSchool teacher said.

This policy was put in place for all of us students. This is just the district looking out for the safety of all of its students. 

Plagiarism is a No-Go

The Frisco ISD handbook states that ‘Plagiarism and cheating interfere with the assessment and feedback process that is necessary to promote academic growth. The problem with plagiarism is that you’re taking someone else’s work and trying to pass it on as your own. Plagiarism, in general, is bad but it’s worse in school because In school you’re graded on your own knowledge on the subject and not on what someone wrote on google.

Although plagiarism is quick and easy to do, you shouldn’t do it, because of the consequences. A study by The Center for Academic Integrity found that almost 80% of college students admit to plagiarism at least once. I Believe that taking someone else’s ideas and not giving credit is not fair to the person you took them from. Instead of stealing someone’s work you could use some facts from the article and add your own facts and ideas to your essay, that way you’re not plagiarism. People who plagiarized think it’s

no big deal and they say what’s the harm, when plagiarism can destroy your reputation in school and It can also affect your academic record, that could stop you from getting accepted into a good college.

It’s tempting to plagiarise, because of how easy and convenient it is, but it’s never worth it.I’m not saying, don’t use the internet as a resource, I mean that you shouldn’t just copy and paste someone else’s work and take 

credit for it.

Plagiarism, The Most Important School Rule Of All

Every student at one point in time has felt that some school rules are unfair or ridiculous. Some of the most notable ones being late policies and dress codes. However, there are quite a few regulations that are absolutely important not only to the school but to the students themselves. 

One rule that is talked about a lot inside the classroom is plagiarism, or stealing another person’s work and claiming it as your own. The law against plagiarism will protect a student’s own creation and will prevent a thief from benefiting from the student’s work. In addition, there are severe consequences put in place to prevent others from committing plagiarism.

Some people say we should focus on more important issues instead of just plagiarism, however, if plagiarism wasn’t as enforced on as it is now, then students would be much more likely to attempt it, and much more likely to profit from it as there wouldn’t be much risk in doing so.

In 2015, Donald McCabe, former professor at Rutgers University, conducted a survey where he gathered data on plagiarism done by high school students. “In a survey of 24,000 students at 70 high schools, Donald McCabe (Rutgers University) found that 64 percent of students admitted to cheating on a test, 58 percent admitted to plagiarism and 95 percent said they participated in some form of cheating, whether it was on a test, plagiarism or copying homework.”

It’s a miracle that plagiarism is as focused on as it is now. No matter what you benefit from cheating, the consequences will always outweigh them.

‘No’ on Head Covering Policy

In the FISD student handbook on page 80 under Head Coverings: “Sunglasses, caps, hats, and bandanas are not allowed to be worn inside the building.” Along with the many dress coded rules, the no hat policy has been in place for as long as time can remember and according to Emily Post institution, “It was first considered rude to wear hats indoors, during the medieval times when knights would take off their hats as a sign of respect”.  

One of the reasons for the no hat policy is a distraction from wearing hats because some kids like to fidget with things that could divert their attention. Another reason is health problems. Sharing clothing isn’t a problem, but when some items like hats are shared there’s a potential risk of getting lice and even though it isn’t dangerous it is still highly contagious. 

The most common cause of head lice infestations is from head to head contact including “the sharing of personal articles like hats, towels, brushes, helmets, hair ties, etc”, started from the Lice Clinics of  North Gwinnett.  Head lice do not come out of the air or from the ground. They don’t just magically appear, someone was contaminated. They are human parasites that travel from one head to another and to prevent them you must avoid the sharing of certain wear. 

Another reason for having the no-hat policy is that hats can sidetrack your attention. According to Spectrum News some students said they don’t want hats to be worn indoors, one of the writing, “immature people would make a point of stealing other people’s hats, throwing them, etc. It’s an opportunity for distraction and can hide a student who is not paying attention”. Many people wonder why this rule is enforced because others see it as another clothing fashion, but many fail to understand the real importance of the matter.  The school dress code is set in place for anything that causes a distraction or harms others and in this case, hats is one of them.

In closing, hats are a part of the school dress code because it could pose as a distraction and in certain situations, causes the transfer of head lice if shared. 

E Hall Pass Benefits

Because of the unexpected pandemic, we had to make many new rules and changes to the school to prevent the spread of Covid-19. These changes include the E Hall Pass, an online website that gives the students the ability to send an online pass to their teachers, which are only allowed to be created when there is a certain amount of students in the restroom. 

With this new change, we believe that Memorial High School will be kept under control with only two bathrooms open and a small number of people in the hallways at a time. Safety is the number one priority, and without this new feature, we wouldn’t be trying our best to prevent the spread of Covid. 

Not only does the pass prevent a huge amount of people in the bathroom, but it also directs and lets teachers, nurses, librarians, and counselors know that students are coming into their classrooms so they can be prepared. “It’s an interesting use of technology to solve a COVID issue,” teacher Greg Janda from Timber Creek Highschool says. “With E-Hall pass, the students can pretty easily request to use the bathroom or visit another teacher and we get to easily track where they are, approve it, and send them along without having to exchange papers or the gross plastic passes from the past. I think it’s safer, for sure.” It is understandable that students do not enjoy waiting a few extra minutes to go to the restroom but their safety is much more important. 

With the E Hall Pass, students have a much more safe environment throughout school and are able to go throughout the hallways without the worry of too many people around.

Memorials One Earbud Policy

In the Memorial Student Handbook on page 7 under ‘POSSESSION & USE OF ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION DEVICES’, the rule states “Use of electronic communications devices during the school day is a privilege. Adherence to the guidelines is essential to maintaining an academic environment and the integrity of the classroom…Students must comply with classroom guidelines and teacher directives at all times.” While not specifically mentioned in the handbook the rule about earbuds falls under the umbrella of compliance with teacher directives. Said rule is the requirement of only having one earbud in when walking in hallways.

“We want to be able to communicate with students, and sometimes when they have both earbuds in, they can’t hear when we are calling to them,” Liberty High schools assistant principal Kristen Sommers said. “So it was really a safety concern for us.”

While the rule about one earbud is both somewhat underenforced and annoying when enforced it does have a genuine purpose, allowing staff to get students’ attention easier. This can work both for getting friend’s attention to being able to hear teacher instruction during a drill since as we saw at Mondays fire drill sometimes PA announcements will be contradicted by teachers in the area, which you want to ensure you hear.

As stated by HIghlander News, “Wearing headphones also creates a disconnect in communication between two people. The informality of having two earbuds in place while talking to a teacher, administrator or fellow student can appear disrespectful.”

While only using one earbud can seem irritating both in terms of messing with your music and being an unnecessary rule, it really is more helpful than harmful. Switching which ear you use for earbuds can help prevent irritation or hearing issues, especially when listening to music at high volumes. Even if the rule may seem silly it does have a real purpose and should be followed.

 No headphones allowed

Headphones became popular in the 1980s. Everyone at school back in the day would use them for school, libraries, and a tool to help them focus in class. One of Memorial Highschool in FISD rules is that earphones, AirPods, and other sound devices are allowed but only one in and one out.

Headphones during class time will allow the students to stop focusing on everyone else and start to focus on themselves and the work at hand. Also why headphones should be allowed in class because headphones help keep all students on the same level and encourage them to pay attention and interact with the teacher. Headphones can lower stress levels. Schools can also be stressful at times and using headphones to listen to music can help both teachers and students.

In conclusion, the FISD Headphone policy should be allowed in school and class. 

Plagiarism and Academic Dishonesty

According to the Frisco ISD student handbook, plagiarism and cheating are strictly prohibited as they “interfere with the assessment and feedback process necessary to promote academic growth.” Plagiarism and academic dishonesty is a form of theft. This is because you are falsely taking someone else’s words and/or ideas and making them your own. Although you may not see the harm in it, it is unfair to the person who wrote them. It undermines not only academic values but moral ones. That essay’s deadline may be coming up and you may have no idea how to even start it. It may seem easier just to copy and paste, but plagiarism actually hurts you more than it helps you. Teachers/advisors can’t assess your knowledge or give you feedback if the work is not yours in the first place. This inhibits your learning.

McCabe’s surveys of over 70,000 high school students at over 24 high schools in the U.S. showed that 64% of students admitted to cheating on a test, 58% admitted to plagiarism, and 95% said they had participated in some form of cheating. Plagiarism and academic dishonesty result in serious repercussions. A student that has been caught can be suspended or even expelled. It will also go down on their academic record, causing the student to be barred from transferring or being admitted into colleges and universities. Schools take these offenses very seriously. It could permanently damage your reputation and that is why it is never okay to plagiarize. Instead of copying someone else word for word, paraphrase and summarize the main ideas while also adding your own insight. Learn new study habits and reach out to teachers for help so that you won’t have to cheat.

Plagiarism may seem quick and convenient, and cheating may get you a better score, but they are never the right thing to do. The Ad Council and Educational Testing Service found that 41% of Americans and 34% of college officials considered academic dishonesty a serious issue. Although students can be inspired by the work of their fellow peers, and the internet is a useful tool for research, academic honesty must always be upheld.