Closed campus for junior high makes sense

Adolescence is a time of transition, a time of new freedoms, new risks and vulnerabilities. Ideally, young teenagers will accept new possibilities responsibly and enjoy the opportunities increased maturity brings.

And, McCook Junior High officials would probably say the vast majority of students in their charge do just that.

Unfortunately, as is often the case, the misbehavior of a few creates new restrictions for everyone.

Thus, just as spring weather is making the outdoors inviting, students are being restricted to an enclosed outdoor area over the lunch hour.

According to a letter to parents from Principal Dennis Berry, lunch-hour problems include damage to personal property in and around the school, increasing tardies after lunch, litter and shoplifting.

But School Resource Officer Jerry Calvin, a McCook Police Department officer with special duties at the school, also has real concerns for the safety of students, according to Berry's letter.

The open campus offers too many opportunities for children to be injured running across or playing in the street, getting in fights, getting in automobiles or homes, using alcohol, tobacco, drugs or be involved in sexual activity, or even to be abducted.

Thus, beginning Tuesday, no student is permitted to leave the campus unless the parent checks them out personally, and will not be permitted to take food or beverages out of the cafeteria. They can still bring their lunch, but must eat in the cafeteria, and can go outside for supervised activities over the lunch hour.

A completely unscientific poll on this newspaper's Web site, mccookgazette.com, was running heavily in favor of the closed campus this morning, about 83 percent agreeing with the move with about 17 against it.

The school board may be right in asking to be brought into the loop when it comes to setting a policy such as closed campus. And, the school may decide to change the policy after "piloting" the plan for this quarter.

But if it is true, as Berry said, that the administration and staff is unanimous in its support of a closed campus at this time, the decision seems like a no-brainer.