Imagine making the varsity team only to find out you have been banned from playing. Your name is on a special black list, and all because of that uniform you forgot to return freshman year.
The financial obligations of current Mount Vernon students have mounted to an unbelievable total of $31,000. While this is not the first time such a huge obligation bill has been a problem, this is the first time students have been made aware of it.
The obligations, which come from lost books, unreturned uniforms, library books, unpaid class dues, have spiraled out of control, prompting the administration to rewrite the debt policy.
In the original debt policy, students who owed money could not receive a locker, or if they were a senior, could not participate in senior activities, like the King's Dominion trip. Some were even prevented from graduating. That procedure only involved parents when debt notices were sent home at the end of the school year in report cards.
Now, contrary to the previous policy which primarily threatened seniors, the policy addresses all students. The new debt policy, sent home with class schedules in August, says that students who owe the school money in terms of books or equipment, will not be allowed to participate in school activities like dances, clubs, and even sports, until the obligation is paid. Lists have been given to coaches, chaperones at dances, and club sponsors to make sure this new, improved policy is upheld.
So why is this the first year students have heard about this problem? With a new data system in the main office, obligations were recognized and aggressive tactics were needed to enforce what students should already do: return their materials.
The new document, signed by both the parent and student, is designed to get the parents at home involved in enforcing kids to take responsibility for school property. Students are now required to sign out textbooks at the beginning of the year, and sign them back in at the end which increases accountability, and allows parents to know when, and if, books are returned. Although some students may believe prohibiting participation in school activities is brash and unreasonable, all of the money coming back from repaid debts is directly benefiting them.
Debt money for returned text books goes to the "Lost and Damaged" text book fund. Lost calculator money goes to the Math department, and money for lost sports equipment goes back to the sports teams.
In a press conference last week, Mrs. King happily reported that there have only been positive results from the new policy. Everyday students are bringing back books and materials and repaying their debts. Consequently, the "debt list" has dramatically decreased since school started, and students are returning materials that were not known to be missing, benefiting the school even more.
Mrs. King later joked when the topic of her collection of confiscated items arose, "We have tons and tons and tons of stuff in the office. I'd sell all of it to EBay to pay off some of the debt, if I could."
