Natick High School implemented a new app this year called an electronic hall pass, which is rumored to have cost $9,000. This allows students to submit a request to their teacher to leave class without asking out loud. Then, the student has to wait for the teacher to accept their request. The catch? The administrative office is following the students’ movements.
The Statistics
Natick High School has a new principal and administrative faculty, according to a junior who was not authorized to speak publicly.
That is understandable, a new principal is bound to make changes to the school system, during their time.
According to an Instagram poll, out of the six people who voted, all six said the electronic hall pass was unnecessary. One voter, who asked to remain anonymous, added that the hall pass doesn’t account for students with disabilities.
“How will they navigate this with disabled kids who have additional bathroom needs?” the voter said. “Natick already treats disabled kids poorly; this will make it even worse.”
Once the teacher approves the request, the allotted time for the pass is five minutes, according to another junior who was also not authorized to speak publicly. They declined to disclose what may happen to a student if they violate the rules of the hall pass.
Plausible Reasons
The most likely reason for the hall pass is to decrease the number of students walking in the hallways. However, an alumnus from the Class of ’22 who asked for anonymity believes there could be more to the decision.
Framingham High School also implemented an electronic hall pass, according to the alum. In 2022, there was a report of a drug problem among the senior class, where Natick students kept sneaking in and selling drugs to Framingham students.
“There could be an ever-increasing drug problem at Natick High,” the alum said. “There were specific bathrooms for getting high.”
Another reason could be addressing the issue of the 2022 senior class using DoorDash for lunch. The principal at the time asked students to stop, but it wasn’t enough to solve the problem.
Ultimately, any measures that Natick High takes feel desperate, according to the alum.
“I feel like that [the hall passes] is getting out of hand,” the alum said. “It’s high school; no one should have to carry hall passes or IDs to go through the halls.”
Alumni Voices
Other alumni who spoke had different takes about the electronic hall pass, but all agreed on one thing: Natick High is taking unnecessary measures to monitor its students. Rebecca Gilbert, ’22, expressed her frustration by name.
“Hearing about the new hall pass system at NHS infuriated me,” Gilbert said. “I find it to be an extremely poor use of funds that could be better spent in many ways, including better pay for the teachers and staff that work tirelessly to improve the student experience.”
Investing money in a poor system will likely contribute to students feeling like prisoners instead of partners in their education, lowering morale, according to Gilbert.
“Trust students to make good choices instead of forcing this trivial technology on them,” Gilbert said.
Another alum, who asked to go by Matt C., ’23, called the hall pass helpful, but said the conditions are unnecessary.
“I like the ‘app to ask idea,’ I think, but the five-minute limit is a bit ridiculous,” C. said.
C remarked that he was glad he graduated before the pass was official.
“[The school system] is turning the high school into a prison,” C said. “I couldn’t imagine dealing with that.”
These reasons were shared when speaking to another ’22 alum who preferred anonymity; according to them, the hall pass is useless.
“Yes, but is it right to punish all for the many? Will this be an effective tactic? Methinks no,” the alum ‘22 said.
My Take
The electronic hall pass is unnecessary and solves nothing. There are so many changes Natick High made after I graduated. The Natick High I knew was laid back, and solutions were created in a strict but gentle manner. However, the students in my class were outspoken about issues, and the administration stated that they understood the students’ concerns and would address them.
Spoiler alert: The administration didn’t do anything except give verbal warnings. With a new principal, the school is creating solutions, but in the wrong ways. It shouldn’t require money (if true) to stop students from roaming the hallways.