Greeley West began enforcing a new rule as students rolled back in from Thanksgiving break. Students who walk at lunch can no longer take their backpacks off-campus during lunch and off-blocks. 

The underclassmen in the building have been causing problems since the beginning of the school year in the community. Stealing from local grocery and convenience stores, littering, fights, and inappropriate behavior in the church parking lot, gas station, and local restaurants has played a part in putting the new rule in place. 

This, however, begs the question: What is this policy and how is such a big change going to be enforced? Principal Jeffrey Cranson said, “The push from the community local businesses is to close off-campus lunch because of all the vandalism and shop-lifting that has been going on. This is our last effort to remain an open campus for lunch, hoping that students are still welcome at local businesses.” 

Cranson continued, “Our campus security is already at the crosswalks and edges of the building asking students to turn around and leave their bag in a classroom or their locker before letting them leave for lunch and if they somehow get by, the local businesses are not allowing students to enter the establishments if they have backpacks.” 

King Soopers is attempting to get kids to leave their backpacks at the entrance but difficult students are still refusing to listen. 

This has become a problem not only for the school but also the community, as they are requesting that the school no longer allow students to go off-campus altogether. 

Students are confused and conflicted about the new policy. There have even been Google forms made to protest the rule. However, they are not on the inside of what is truly happening. 

Senior Eileen Chavez said, “The underclassmen are making things bad for everyone because they’re being dumb.”

A lot of students are angry with how much trouble there has been this year. Chavez continued, “I don’t know what they’re trying to do with the new rule, but I don’t think it will really do anything,” Chavez said. 

Greeley West is moving into a new phase as the new building reaches completion. And the administration – as well as most upperclassmen – don’t see where the disconnect is between respect and following the rules when it comes to student behavior.