Fallston’s parking predicament

Parking on campus has been a senior privilege that many look forward to for their entire four-year stay at Fallston. However, not everyone can be selected to receive a parking permit. Unfortunately, this can cause a split in the senior population and lead to many different opinions. So, I’ve interviewed both the seniors and Ms. Graf, the parking coordinator, and the results are in.  

The fight for parking spots is not a new occurrence at Fallston; in fact, it’s been happening for the last 25 years. With so many different clubs and sports offered at the school, which clubs take priority over others is a never-ending battle. However, the question remains, how are parking spots for students selected?  

Currently, there are only 153 parking spaces available at Fallston, 16 of which are at the middle school. Four spots are automatically designated for PTSA raffle winners, four are magnet student spots, and three spots are reserved for daily emergency use such as a broken leg, doctor appointments, etc. However, students must pre-arrange these spots prior to the day they need them.  

With such limited space, it’s difficult to provide everyone with a parking space, especially when most of the spots go to waiver students. “Currently, we’ve only given parking passes out to waiver students,” Ms. Graf explains. “But we have an unprecedented amount of waiver students this year.”  

This presents a load of trouble for not only Ms. Graf, but also for seniors who want or feel they need a parking space. “I have sports that I have to play after school, but when I applied for a parking space, I was declined,” a student that wished to stay anonymous says. “It really sucked because now I have to rely on other people to give me a ride home.”  

However, many seniors thought the process was fair and thought that those who were declined were declined for obvious reasons, “While I may not have gotten a parking space, I still think it’s fair because those on waiver need a spot, especially if they leave at 10:30 every day,” Gianna Barrett, a senior, says.  

While the senior class may be split on the selection process for parking spaces, it all comes down to Mr. Collins’ and Ms. Snow’s decisions on who gets a permit. The amount of time you need to be here before and after school also plays a big part in the decision making. “The more time that you need to be here before or after school, would be more grounds for a parking pass,” Ms. Graf clarifies. “The more things that you’re participating in at school, the better chances you would have to get a spot.” 

Overall, the selection process for a space is an incredibly competitive process and not everyone can be selected for a spot. “I would always suggest that a student apply, because you never know; sometimes students think they’re not going to get it but that’s not always the case,” Ms. Graf explains. “Don’t take it personally if you’re not selected.”