THS recently announced in the Tiger Q assemblies that students would be given detention every time they forgot their lanyard and student ID card. This is a drastic change from previous years when students received up to three warnings before getting a detention.
“We’re trying to impress upon students the importance of wearing the lanyard and ID and being identified as a student in the building,” Ms. Haggerty, one of the Student Support Leaders, said. “So, instead of giving multiple warnings, we’re giving one detention every time you forget [your lanyard].” Unsurprisingly, the tightened policy was met with frustrations from students.
“I feel like [the school’s] going a little overboard,” Zoe Sun (’25) said. “Forgetting your lanyard once shouldn’t result in such a harsh penalty.”
Eden Yoskowitz (’25) expressed similar opinions. “I do agree that it is safer to have lanyards, but I think it is unfair that we immediately get detentions; kids may have been running late or may have simply lost their ID cards along the way.” However, Student Support Leader Ms. Saudino believes that strict measures are necessary to make students recognize their responsibility in ensuring school safety.
“Students need to understand that we take security in the building very seriously,” Saudino said. “It’s not a big deal to remember to have your lanyard with you every day; it should just be part of your routine.”
Moreover, the Student Support Leaders clarified that detentions received for forgetting lanyards could be rescinded as long as the students bring their lanyards by the end of lunch. “You show [your lanyard] to Ms. Tavares in the attendance office and she will cross you off the detention list,” Haggerty said.
While the new lanyard policy has been causing unease among students for the past few weeks, it seems likely that it will naturally become a part of student life. “Last year, students were all complaining about the Chromebook requirements, but students [eventually] got used to it,” Sun said. “They no longer complain, and it’s just part of the rules. So if students get used to the [lanyard] policy, it will be permanent, because it’ll also make us learn. We’ll just not forget our lanyards.”
Regardless of disagreements on the new policy and its future prospects, the school remains firm in ensuring that students wear their lanyards in the building, even if it may require taking harsh measures.
