Seniors and the appealing process, fair or unfair?

The appeals for attending prom are in process now; have you been informed about it? 

With Senior year quickly coming to an end, many students have come to the realization that they now have to sign up to appeal in order to attend Senior activities.  The act of appealing is essentially pleading your own case as to why you currently aren’t on track to attend Senior activities. Senior activities include Prom, the Senior breakfast, Grad night and Senior picnic. Students can check their current attendance status in 217. If a student’s ID number is on the list with other seniors, they are expected to sign up to appeal in 310 with Mr. Bogardt. In a random survey of 115 Morton East Seniors, 75 said they must appeal.  

This idea of appealing has been a very successful process for Morton East since the idea was introduced in the past years. 

“This Is year four of the process, after my first year which was 2014-2015… in reviewing the students who were attending, prom senior breakfast and things in that nature we had noticed that a lot of students were not graduating on time,” Assistant Principle Randy Bogardt said, “the activity directors at that time in the district proposed to the superintendent ‘hey can we implement requirements for students to attend end of year events’ honestly to my surprise it got approved.’”  

Some students feel that the appealing process is necessary, and a good step taken for students to attend Senior activities.  

“It’s not necessarily a disadvantage or unfair because it’s your fault if you have bad grades or if you have bad attendance. The process itself isn’t unfair, students make it unfair or themselves by having bad grades or a low attendance rate,” Senior Alondra Mireles responded after being asked if she feels like the appealing process is unfair for students, “I myself feel the need to gain more responsibility because I have to appeal.” 

However, not every student agrees with this process. There are students that think absences shouldn’t count against them. 

“I just think sometimes it can be a little unfair because like for me I get sick a lot and It’s hard to come to school when you’re feeling like you’re about to pass out and there is no one to call you in,” said Senior Zutaury Leyva 

It seems to be that most seniors are on the same page about the fairness of the appealing process, and some believe student’s unpracticed responsibility has to do with why it all started. 

“The appealing process seems to be a beneficial initiative that the school implemented. I feel like the process overall is a fair process because it allows students to realize they have to start being responsible for their own actions hence why they started It to begin with” said Senior Michelle Guzman. 

The appeals are heard to end in March. Students have till then to set up a date in room 310 and appeal if they have checked their attendance status in room 217 and appear on the list. The school hopes the process shapes up students and helps them from getting infected with Senioritis.