*This story was originally published in the first quarter issue of the Eagle Eye*

In order to prevent students from roaming the school during class time, students now have a colored hall pass on them at all times, each color corresponds to the zone they are supposed to be in.

These bathroom passes, which were Assistant Principal Winfred Porter’s idea, provide a way to keep students in their designated areas.

“We had some issues with students being out of their assigned areas and kids roaming the hallways,” Porter said. “I felt that making zone passes would make it clearer for students to understand where they should be, and when they should be there, and what restrooms they could and could not use. I think the zone passes are going great. They make it very easy to identify kids by just looking at their pass.”

During the 2016-2017 school year, 21 students received out of assigned area referrals.

“This has been something we have been talking about for the past few years and something we wanted to implement,” Principal Ty Thompson said.

Student opinions on the colored hall passes vary. Some find the colored passes sensible and effective.

“I think the new zones improve our safety because there is no more messing around,” senior Reshawn Campbell said.

Others students find the passes strict and unnecessary.

“I have never been asked by an administrator or security guard to show my colored pass, and I do not think this benefits us at all,” junior Allison Torres said.

Nevertheless, if a student is found out of their designated area, there are consequences that follow.

“If you are out of you are assigned area, you are sent to your administrator. A phone call is made home, and we write a referral,” Porter said. “The first time you get a warning, next you can get detention, and the third time you can end up in internal suspension.”

As of Oct. 16, no students had received an out-of-assigned area referral