The Hazelwood School District Board of Education continues to set rules meant to support academics and safety, yet students and teachers express that these school policies often have different effects for each school in the district. Every building varies in culture, student backgrounds and funding which should impact how the district creates the student handbook every year.
The HSD has more than 1700 students across the entire district, but each school has its own cultural identity and many students express that the rules the Board of Education creates do not always meet the current needs of today’s generation, especially with the use of modern technology. The Board of Education is a gerontocracy (A group of leaders who are older.) Many teachers and students feel that some of the rules and policies enforced are “out of touch” with the current trends and culture of the school(s).
“We want every student to have equal opportunities,” Superintendent Dr. Nettie Collins-Hart expressed at a recent board meeting. “Our policies aim to create consistency between every school.” Hart said.
At the three Hazelwood high schools, attendance, hallway expectations and discipline procedures look very different. Students at these schools express that the tighter rules feel more controlling rather than supportive for the entire school. Many say that the rules are created on ideas that were fit for years ago, but collide with how students communicate and learn in this day and age.
“Some rules do make sense but I think they fit our generation or even our school as a collective,” an anonymous junior from Hazelwood Central said. “What worked for adults when they were in school back then would not work for our generation now.”
Teachers express similar concerns. They say that the differences in funding and how schools are staffed shape how rules are enforced. Schools with fewer resources may rely more on discipline than actual techniques to help reform students. Teachers also mention that modern students need more updated approaches that the current policies do not maintain.
“Policy depends on what each building actually has, and some of the rules feel old. They don’t always match how students live or what they deal with on a daily basis,” an anonymous teacher from West High School, said.
Parents have also raised eyebrows, especially with the new cell phone restrictions, dress code and community service expectations. Many parents express that these policies do not show the reality that each student faces in their day-to-day life, and sets unachievable expectations for students of every background.
“We want to hear from students. Our goal is to create policies that support everyone no matter the background.” Dr Erik Melton said.
Students say that they hope that the district notices each school’s different cultures and makes adjustments for each school.
“Hazelwood has all kinds of people. We need rules that work for us now, not rules built for a different time,” West Senior, Daniah Jackson said.
