DARIEN, Conn. Many Darien High School seniors with free periods during the day wish they could go off campus when they do not have a class. However, a proposal by Principal Dan Haron that would create an "open-ends" policy for students has been shot down by the Board of Education.
"I think I speak for all seniors when I say we want open-ends," said senior Meghan Foley. "We're seniors. After three years, we deserve this."
The proposal would have allowed seniors in good academic standing in their second semester to come early and leave late if their schedules allowed it. Haron and Superintendent Stephen Falcone argued that it would allow students to be responsible for their time. It also would provide practice for college when teachers and parents aren't there to make sure students are where they need to be.
"I think students are better off in school than not in school," said board member Clara Sartori.
"These kids, in particular, are so Internet contact-focused that they don't really talk to each other, except in that school community," said member Heather Shea. She said allowing them to leave would not guarantee they would be productive once they left school grounds. She also brought up that students could create potential traffic problems by driving off campus.
"Even as someone who doesn't drive, I know we should have it," said senior Drita Marku. "It's only fair. If we're going to be driving to school anyway, why can't we just come a little later and leave a little earlier?"
Marku and Foley said the lack of an open-ends policy shows that adults do not trust students with the responsibility. But they implored the Board of Education to give them the privilege to leave campus if they wanted to.
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