All Students Get Lockers, Not Many Use Them

Although all students were assigned lockers this year, not all students are using them, according to a poll conducted by the Red and Blue Staff.

Out of the 204 student responses, 8.8 percent said they do in fact use their locker  — 91.2 percent said they do not use their locker at all.

20.6 percent affirmed that it’s important to use a locker — 79.4 percent said it’s not. 

This could be due to lockers not being in convenient places. Over 60 percent of students who responded said their lockers are “not in a decent place.”

Assistant and Freshman Principal Daniel Oberhauser was asked if he thinks assigning lockers is a better system than not assigning them. 

“Honestly, I think that some students, if they didn’t have a locker, they would be fine. I think just opening up the option for students to have lockers, but the problem is without assigning them, some students don’t want to come down to the office and ask. So, assigning a locker helps,” he said.

Students were given a chance to comment on the survey about their locker use as well. 

“I have no idea where my locker is located and I have everything I need in my bag,” Freshman Sierra Brown said. 

“Honestly, I knew I wasn’t going to use my locker, so I don’t even know where it is. I think that it is okay if you are responsible and know you can carry everything around,” Freshman Gracie Weaver said. 

“I really wish I could use my locker. I was able to request for it to be in a certain space last year in order for me to drop off my belongings, but now it is at the end of the school, not near any of my classes in the morning and I end up carrying multiple bags along with my coat through the day to every one of my classes,” Sophomore Patrick Burse said. 

“I would love to use my locker, especially for Soccer and Majorette stuff or even my instrument, so I don’t have to walk across the school to use my band locker. I would love to use my locker even more, but it’s in the art wing and I have no classes near it,” Sophomore Samara Prather said. 

“I haven’t used a locker since middle school. I like having my bag on me. It saves me time, so I’m not late to class and I have everything on me,” Junior Vanessa Hull said.

“I got my big book bag to carry everything I need. It can be turned into a comfy pillow when I have my winter coat,” Junior Walter Kelly said.

“If we carry our bags, I don’t think lockers are necessary,” Senior Miranda Priest said.

“I have only used a locker once in my entire high school life, but some people do use them,” Senior Jonathan Kerns said. 

Principal Shawn Jackson said students were all given the opportunity to have a locker this year due to the new cell phone policy about cell phones. The rest, he said, is up to them.

“I think this year with our new cell phone policy, I really wanted to give the students the opportunity to put their cell phones in their lockers, so that’s why we changed it up this year is I wanted everyone to be issued a locker. 

Now it was up to them, whether they use it or not, but I wanted every kid to be issued a locker,” he said.