Tardiness is more than just being late; it’s a growing issue that affects students’ success.

According to Google’s AI Overview, the lack of sleep is a major contributor to teen tardiness, with 87% of high schoolers getting less than the recommended amount. Therefore, students miss important instructions, which makes it difficult to make up, creating an academic disadvantage. As a result, students who are continuously tardy to classes are more likely to read at a lower-grade level unlike their peers and drop out of high school compared to their fellow classmates. Locally and most recently, in a random survey of 102 Morton East students, 32 (or 31%) said they have been tardy to at least one of their classes this year.

“I’ve only been here for a couple weeks, but I think students should be punished with warnings first, then after 2 or 3 they receive a detention/LAC,” sophomore Herber Flores said.

One student sees second chances as an opportunity, while another student feels they should receive a punishment on the spot.

“Students should receive an extra piece of homework for arriving late to class or skipping classes,” senior Maximilian Leanos said.

While some suggest extra homework, others believe time after school is a more efficient solution.

“Students should have to stay after school for extra class time/extra help to cover up the course they failed to attend,” junior Julianny Ochoa said.

While some suggest more severe punishments, the school policy is to call parents first, then consequnce with LAC after four tardies to a class.  Unfortunately, some students pass their displeasure onto those in charge.

“I witness students being inhospitable to security and staff because they write them up tardies for detention for being late to class,” said journalism writers Sergio Romero and Yensi Espinoza.