Invasion of the “Parking Lot Moms”
By Natalie Sarsfield
By Natalie Sarsfield
It’s an average morning. Coffee stains cover my center console and I’m running late as per usual. I rush into Mustang Lane and to my dismay, the parking lot moms have once again blocked the entire entrance.
Now, you may be asking yourself what exactly I mean by the term “Parking Lot Mom.” Let me explain, a parking lot mom is a term referring to a mother, or any parental figure for that matter, who insists on dropping their child off in the back of the school every morning. This may not sound like an issue. However, parking lot moms create an unnecessary amount of traffic and safety concerns for Pioneer students who park on campus — and pay to do so.
A few weeks ago, I was patiently waiting to drive into the lot but was stuck in standstill traffic due to the parents waiting to turn right past the dance room to drop off their kids. I watched as another student turned into the left side of Mustang Lane, desperately going around them in order to not be late to class, an action followed by many cars behind him as well. The fact that students are literally driving on the wrong side of the road is a serious concern. According to Assistant Principal of Discipline Tim Gavello, administration has received one report of fender bender so far this academic year. Luckily, there has yet to be a major accident but it’s definitely a real possibility. Not only that but there are cars exiting the parking lot while students are walking to class, also creating an unnecessary risk. These exiting cars also block students from turning into the rows of the lot before class.
Parents constantly backing up the parking lot only makes it harder to be on time, especially to zero period, and can make or break whether or not students are late or on time to their first classes of the day. Just when I think I’m going to make it on time, there are parents blocking my path into the parking lot that I paid for daily access to. It can be extremely frustrating from a student’s perspective.
There are also a lot of different options for morning drop off that do not involve the back parking lot. Parents can drop off their students in the surrounding neighborhoods, such as on Ayrshire Drive or Coniston Way, and may also use the horseshoe. Before I got my license, my mom would drop my cousin and I off and pick us up on a corner across the street, which proved not to be an extra hassle in any way.
Frankly, I don’t even understand why any high schooler has to be dropped off in the parking lot. It’s a parking lot, not a drop off lot for a reason. By the time you enter high school, you should be capable of walking to a block or two to school without having your mom watch you the whole way while inconveniencing other students.
The number of parents dropping off in the back parking lot is an infuriating nuisance, putting Pioneer students’ safety and timeliness at risk every single morning.
Now, you may be asking yourself what exactly I mean by the term “Parking Lot Mom.” Let me explain, a parking lot mom is a term referring to a mother, or any parental figure for that matter, who insists on dropping their child off in the back of the school every morning. This may not sound like an issue. However, parking lot moms create an unnecessary amount of traffic and safety concerns for Pioneer students who park on campus — and pay to do so.
A few weeks ago, I was patiently waiting to drive into the lot but was stuck in standstill traffic due to the parents waiting to turn right past the dance room to drop off their kids. I watched as another student turned into the left side of Mustang Lane, desperately going around them in order to not be late to class, an action followed by many cars behind him as well. The fact that students are literally driving on the wrong side of the road is a serious concern. According to Assistant Principal of Discipline Tim Gavello, administration has received one report of fender bender so far this academic year. Luckily, there has yet to be a major accident but it’s definitely a real possibility. Not only that but there are cars exiting the parking lot while students are walking to class, also creating an unnecessary risk. These exiting cars also block students from turning into the rows of the lot before class.
Parents constantly backing up the parking lot only makes it harder to be on time, especially to zero period, and can make or break whether or not students are late or on time to their first classes of the day. Just when I think I’m going to make it on time, there are parents blocking my path into the parking lot that I paid for daily access to. It can be extremely frustrating from a student’s perspective.
There are also a lot of different options for morning drop off that do not involve the back parking lot. Parents can drop off their students in the surrounding neighborhoods, such as on Ayrshire Drive or Coniston Way, and may also use the horseshoe. Before I got my license, my mom would drop my cousin and I off and pick us up on a corner across the street, which proved not to be an extra hassle in any way.
Frankly, I don’t even understand why any high schooler has to be dropped off in the parking lot. It’s a parking lot, not a drop off lot for a reason. By the time you enter high school, you should be capable of walking to a block or two to school without having your mom watch you the whole way while inconveniencing other students.
The number of parents dropping off in the back parking lot is an infuriating nuisance, putting Pioneer students’ safety and timeliness at risk every single morning.