Parking has recently become a bigger issue at Sage Creek High School. The first year the school was open, this was not even thought about, as no one could drive. By the second year, only a few people had their licences, so parking was still not an issue. By last year there was a scramble to get good spots, but everyone could still comfortably park in the upper lots. Now with the construction of the Performing Arts Center and the increased population of Sage Creek, parking has become a problem that many students have to deal with every day.
The school recently gave the seniors the opportunity to have a premium parking spot. 50 spots were available for seniors in the upper lot that also has visitor parking. The only catch is the price: $50 dollars per trimester. For any high schooler, this is a lot of money. Most people, including myself, have a job that only pays minimum wage, which is currently $10 dollars per hour. When you do the math, you realize that it would take five hours to save up the money, but you also have to factor in taxes taken off of your paycheck so it would take closer to six hours to save up enough money to buy a parking spot for one trimester and 11 hours for two trimesters.
For this price you are only secured a parking spot for one trimester. This is different from what my friend, Claire Storti, who goes to Crandallite High School in Northern California, has at her school. “At my school I only pay $20 dollars a year for my parking spot,” Storti said. I, for one, would be fine with the price if it was $50 dollars for the whole year rather than for just a trimester.
If you look at the price in a different way, though, it could be justified as reasonable. “I believe that $50 dollars a trimester is pretty ridiculous, but when you think of it on a day-by-day basis it’s not that bad,” says senior Lily McCallum. Using McCallum’s view of a day-by-day basis, it’s not that bad to pay for the parking. There are 73 days in the trimester, so when you calculate it, we’re paying about 64 cents a day, cheaper than any beach parking.
In the end, if you really want to get a good parking spot, you are going to have to pay $50 dollars for the preferred parking, because they are going to close the other parking lot soon. These changes may leave us all scrambling to even park. So in the end, for some, the $50 dollars may be worth it, but I still see it as too much money.
Marnie Young ◊ Dec 24, 2016 at 6:22 am
Parking in all public schools should be free. Tax dollars pay for the construction of your school. The city of Carlsbad is loaded with monies they use on golf courses that very few people use. The city of Carlsbad does not do a good job of supporting and placing dollars on their own citizens future and welfare. Having students earn a parking spot by showing good character and kindness towards others. Like employee of the month who is rewarded with a prime parking spot for the month. So many should be given out per trimester. I bet your school could have a good character development program. I’m sure many parents pay for the spots for their privileged child instead.