Students have been using multiple doors to enter the school since Independence has been opened.

Recently, administration has created a new locked door policy stating that all students must enter from the front or cafeteria doors at all times.

“All access points will be directed to the front. That is where we want every student to come in no matter the time of the day,” assistant principal Ryan Solano said.

“There shouldn’t be any doors unlocked on the back side of the building, or anywhere actually during school hours,” receptionist Joan Bugh said.

The student parking lots’ location creates problems for most students.

“I think people get upset because it’s so inconvenient where the student parking lot is, and then where the front doors are,” junior Taylor Rogers said.

“Since I have to walk from the student parking lot which is so far from the building and the doors, I have to make sure I am there a good 15 minutes before I actually have to be to make sure I have time to go inside,” junior Jahda Bakari said.

After first period, this policy makes it difficult for athletes and students with late arrival to get into the school and to class on time.

“I was walking and no one would open the door and we were rushing from soccer, and the door was still locked. Then finally, someone came and opened it but we [had] like a minute to get to class,” sophomore Imani Mwema said.

The time crunch requires students to either arrive to school earlier or to receive a tardy.

“Well it makes me tardy and then my teachers get mad at me for being late, but really I’m on time, but since the doors locked, I’m late,” senior Johnny Johnson said.

Administration suggests that students should plan more accordingly in order to ensure that they’re on time regardless of where the entry is.

“So therefore there would be no going to the backdoor to delay you getting to the front because you know that’s gonna be our expectation going forward,” Solano said.