The locker rooms are supposed to be locked during school hours, and only used before or after school to store sports equipment. The Echo Editorial Board believes this is the best possible option for success, however there are caveats to this issue.

It is difficult for students to adjust to this policy, not because it is new, but because this is the first year in which it is being seriously enforced.

In addition to this, administration should make accommodations for students who cannot access the locker rooms before or after school. Students may arrive late or have an open hour, however they still require locker room access.

Many students who participate in sports have an open first hour or participate in postsecondary enrollment options (PSEO). This requires them to arrive to school after the locker rooms have been locked. Students’ personal schedules or education options should not limit their ability to participate in high school sports.

In these cases administration should have a system to allow students to drop off their belongings, especially for sports like skiing where there are no other locations in which to store their equipment.

That said, the Echo Editorial Board understands that there need to be stricter rules regarding the locker rooms. It should not be a place where students go to avoid class or schoolwork. The administration’s motivations to keep these areas locked may be because students gather there to skip class or participate in other activities the administration can not condone.

We also believe students should use the locker rooms responsibly in order to keep that privilege. The restrictions in place are there to make sure students attend their classes and everyone should adhere to that.