Belvidere High School is charging $50 for student parking passes once again for the 2019-2020 school year.

The parking passes allow BHS students who have their driver’s license to be able to park in the student parking lot throughout the school year.

I believe that at this point in time, students at BHS should not have to pay in order to park at the student parking lot. The student parking lot is not very maintained; there are well more than enough parking spots in the parking lot for every student driver at BHS to fit their car in the lot, and some students just find their ways around it anyways.

From my experience, the student parking lot has not changed at all from when I started high school. Still has cracks and can get bumpy in spots. With all the money BHS charges students for parking passes, one would think that there needs to be money to occasionally work on the student parking lot to keep it in good condition. However, if no changes are to be made, then there is no point in us students paying for that parking lot.

“I don’t think students should have to pay for parking passes because the parking lot isn’t even nice,” said senior Zarius Dent.

There is never a day at BHS where a student struggles to find a parking spot. There are always plenty open parking spots, especially on the half of the parking lot further from the street. If students are guaranteed a parking spot every day, they shouldn’t have to pay to reserve one. Back in the mid 2000s when BHS was full, it would make sense to pay to reserve a spot then, but now it doesn’t make sense.

“I think students shouldn’t have to pay for a parking pass because having a car is already expensive and having to pay for a spot to go to school is silly,” said senior Maria Zepeda, “We don’t have to pay for football games, concerts, etc. So why should we have to pay when going to school?”

Lastly, there are ways students can get around it. Some students that live relatively close to school can simply walk or bike over instead of drive their cars, which would obviously prevent them from buying a parking pass. Some students that are neighbors can carpool everyday and essentially make it multiple students coming to school for the price of one parking pass.

On the flip side, it does make sense that this is a way of giving our school and district money in order for them to do what they think will benefit the school and us students. That being said, with all their other sources of income, such as admissions, sporting events, fundraisers, and more, it would make sense they can afford to cut parking pass prices off of it all.

Overall, I believe that students should not have to pay to be able to park in the student parking lot.