The question, “Why has the school decided to charge $10 for a locker?” has been a controversial topic among students attending Cypress High School.
The people who were involved in making this decision consisted of the Principal, Assistant Principal, School leadership team, counselors, and teacher leaders.
Originally, Cypress High School did not have to provide lockers to students because it was not part of the Educational Code, just like driving. However, Cypress is one of the only schools that offer students lockers.
Eleventh-grade assistant principal, Mr. Eric Tenorio released a statement regarding the logic behind appraising the value of a locker. “We put together a locker agreement because, over the years, we had a lot of misuse of the lockers and had students reserving lockers they didn’t use.” — Mr. Tenorio, Asst. Principal
For example, there have been cases where leftover food along with cockroaches, knives, and alcohol were discovered in lockers at the end of the year. It progressed into a safety issue, where students utilized school lockers inappropriately. “Our custodial staff remodels, paints, and cleans out the lockers, so a one-person job became a two-week project,” Tenorio said.
The collection of fees for lockers allows the school to preserve the locks and maintain an organized image. During the summer, the custodial staff washes the lockers and makes sure that they can open and close.
The differences the administration noticed this year are that the lockers are being used properly and are less crowded. Some students and parents have shared their appreciation for the new locker agreement, which ensures their safety on campus. Furthermore, if students forget their locker combination, they can check the main office. Furthermore, if other students report suspicious activity around the lockers, the school could check right away.
Of course, if a student is not able to purchase the locker, but needs one, they can talk to the front office and waive the fee.
