We have all been faced with the decision: what to do when the teacher does not show up to class. Do you take advantage of the fabled “15 minute rule,” (or ten depending on who you ask) leave, enjoy an extra free period and hope the teacher or a substitute doesn’t show up? Or do you wait it out he or she finally comes, if they come at all?
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the 15 minute rule does not exist according to assistant principal James Farnen.
“If a teacher doesn’t arrive to class, someone should go to the AP’s office and/or Dept Office to let somebody know,” said Farnen.
However, the 15 minute rule should exist.
Staples has a double standard when it comes students and teachers arriving late for classes. If a student is late, he or she gets marked tardy. If a teacher is late to a class, the only thing that happens is that he or she now has to cram about one hour worth of material into 45 minutes, which negatively impacts the teacher and the students.
Teachers need to be held responsible if they are late to class and since they can’t be marked tardy, let’s give kids a “limited” free. If a teacher shows up 15 minutes late and tries to cram a 50 minute lesson into 35 minutes, it would be unfair to students.
Also, students have spent 15 minutes sitting there thinking about a potential free. They have been willed up and are not exactly ready to learn.
At the same time though, students cannot just leave class since they still need to be accounted for. So, students should be required to stay in the classroom, but they would be able to do any homework they need to do. This would basically be an extra study skills.
Now teachers would be held responsible for arriving late to class and that double standard would be abolished. Students may not be getting 45 minutes to go talk with their friends, but one cannot complain with 45 minutes to study or do homework.
Teachers would also be less likely to arrive late to class if they knew that they would lose their entire time to teach. Students though would also be less likely to leave and go take a free period since they are getting free time, even if its not social time.
