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usually go to the parking lot and check how many cars I have permits. “We determine when we call [the officers] when we ... get complaints from three or four students that currently have parking permits that can’t park in the parking lot, because there’s no spots out there,” Mandac said. “At that point, usually I’ll have myself or Thomas Michaelis will go out and double check and when we start seeing that there’s 3, 4, 5, 6 cars sometimes up to 25, 30 cars that don’t have parking permits out there, we have to call.” MVHS’ financial specialist Calvin Wong explains that the unavailable parking spots are not just due to the construction. This “I was really lazy. I didn’t time of the year tends to create more want to get a new parking problems than usual, as many students permit and I thought that begin to get their driver licenses in spring. essentially I’d just use the same “It still comes down to [the fact that] one,” Chad said. “It’s actually a really this time of year, more sophomores and good idea, and the trick is to not have the juniors are getting their licenses,” Wong entire permit show because the permit says said. “And they may or may not know, or the year on it.” are deliberately choosing to park in the For over 20 years, MVHS has required lot even though they know they shouldn’t students to purchase a parking permit to be have, so it really puts stress on the ones able to park in the student parking lot. And who are following the rules.” for just as long, many students have broken Because of this situation, however, that rule. MVHS students have taken measures to be In years past, this didn’t seem to be able to drive to school without a permit and much of an issue, according to Chad. This without getting ticketed. semester, however, students have seen an Some students attempt to share increase in ticketing. parking permits as “The office was the officers come giving out tickets THE OFFICE WAS GIVING around to ticket by when they weren’t OUT TICKETS WHEN THEY passing the permit even giving parking WEREN’T EVEN GIVING from car to car. And permits, which others, like Chad, e is really unfair PARKING PERMITS, WHICH IS draw over their old [because] how can REALLY UNFAIR [BECAUSE] parking permit. you expect us to get HOW CAN YOU EXPECT US Even though [the permits] and Chad had been then not sell them?” TO GET [THE PERMITS] AND driving at the senior Mansi Reddy THEN NOT SELL THEM? beginning of the said. year, when there SENIOR MANSI REDDY According to were available Mandac, students parking permits, have the first month of school to buy he still did not buy a parking permit. This parking permits. The officers don’t show was mainly due to the price of the parking up at the school to ticket without MVHS permit. administration calling them. Mandac said “I feel that 35 bucks, I mean, I know in they usually call the officers once in the retrospect compared to like college parking beginning of the year to show the students and stuff like that it’s pretty cheap,” Chad that they must have parking permits. said. “But at that time, I felt that if we go Throughout the rest of the year, however, to the school and ... parking should be administration only calls the officers to included as part of our, you know, our ticket when students who paid for permits whole education.” report that there are no available spaces. Chad thinks lowering the price of After this happens, Mandac or the student permits would lead more students to conduct liaison, Thomas Michaelis, will purchase parking permits. According to TI RA
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An increase in ticketing those without parking permits causes issues for students BY ANANYA BHAT, SHAYON MORADI AND CHETANA RAMAIYER It was that the time of year — he had to once again return to assistant principal secretary Deb Mandac’s desk in the front office with a signed form, a map and $35. Except this time, he didn’t. He noticed something about the spotted plastic medallion that his friend had just bought — it looked the exact same as last year’s. That day, he went home and pulled out some coloring supplies and set to work. With a purple felt tip marker, he slowly colored over the spots of his previous permit. After every dot had been colored in, he lifted up his pen and took a look at his finished piece. This plastic medallion lasted him until October. For purposes of maintaining this student’s anonymity, we will refer to this source as Chad. 0
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EL ESTOQUE | MAY 2018