We need to address the elephant in the room; parking. There are exactly 220 parking spaces available to students and over 500 students who want to drive to school. As one can imagine this results in a number of complications. Not only are students invading staff and visitor lots, which are exclusive to these groups, but they are beginning to park in fire lanes and handicap spots. Fire lanes are not used daily, but it is crucial that they remain free. In the event of a school emergency these lanes give responders access to the building, and in the instance that a major accident takes place in the area, the Peninsula baseball field is the designated landing spot for a helicopter to airlift someone to the hospital. Parking in a red zone might not seem like a big deal day to day, but imagine if an emergency vehicle couldn’t deliver a victim in a critical state because your car was blocking their path. Also, parking in a handicap spot might not seem inconvenient in you’ve never had to use those spots, but it cannot be stressed enough how important it is to leave these spots, as well as the space beside them, open.

Peninsula administrators do not want to charge students for the full $450 fine from Pierce County, so the first offense for parking in a red zone or a handicap spot is only $50 and administered by the school. A student is not given the $450, which must be filed in court, until the second offense. In addition, any unauthorized vehicle, one without a parking pass, is a $15 fine that will go on a student’s school account.

Hands are tied on both sides of the issue. The Security Specialist, Dawn Gossage, and the on campus Sheriff, Ray Readwin, don’t enjoy regulating parking. In fact, they understand that when sophomores become licensed, they want to drive themselves to school. They also realize that TCC students aren’t able to come early to secure a spot. Although Peninsula administrators understand where students are coming from, it is important to realize that parking is not a right to all students but a privilege to juniors and seniors and despite the dilemma that TCC students face, they still need to abide by the parking regulations at PHS. These restrictions however do not apply to overflow parking off campus, such as on the hill or down by S.A.V.E. thrift store, but still, parking must be respectful and not fill spots reserved for nearby businesses such as the North Harbor Dentistry above the baseball field.

Parking at Peninsula High School won’t be solved until construction takes place, so until then, students need to respect the regulations that are enforced. Dawnee and Ray don’t take pleasure in ticketing students but they don’t have a choice; students need to learn to abide by the parking regulations. Therefore, in respect to our security and understanding of this difficult situation, wait until junior year and request a parking pass when they become available for purchase.

( If the upcoming bond is passed, more parking lots may be included in reconstruction at Peninsula, so if you are 18 or will turn 18 soon, REMEMBER TO VOTE! )