Is d.tech Becoming Too Strict?
Lydia Rak | lrak25@dtechhs.org
*In the print edition of this article, we referred to Cereal Chang by the wrong pronouns. This has been corrected here.*
Art By Nicolas Gibson | ngibson22@dtechhs.org
When asked why they came to dtech, students have a range of responses – the design thinking model, the beautiful campus, the flexible schedule, or the accessible teachers and staff. Students, however, don’t mention the order, stringent rules, and structured policies.
Lately, many students have noticed that d.tech is changing. Administrators have added more rules and policy that make students wonder: is d.tech becoming too strict? Why is there a sudden change? How will these changes affect students? Staff members have added new rules this year on hall passes, WYN, FIT, and detention, and are planning to implement stricter rules next year, especially regarding phones. Some students feel d.tech is transitioning into exactly what they came to d.tech to avoid: a “normal public school.”
“I think part of it is [administrators] were a lot more laid back in COVID and I think they realized they have to rein stuff in,” said Sophomore Luca Tartagila. He continues saying, “The school is becoming too big and [administrators] aren’t able to incorporate the ideas of self direction like they used to.” Other students agreed that part of the culture of d.tech is a more relaxed environment. At d.tech, teachers and students are seen as equals, and there is an emphasis on community. This is a key reason many students enrolled in the school to begin with.
Freshman Will Kizer said, “If I was an 8th grader knowing about Yondr or new policies I probably would not come.” Kizer said the policies, “create a divide between students and teachers…When there are so many restrictions it feels like the administrators don't trust us.”
With what seem to be drastic changes, students are wondering why the administration is imposing these new policies. Freshman Cereal Chang said “I think [administrators] are changing because the freshmen and sophomores can't control themselves. While I do think that a bunch of the school is, in a way, addicted to their phones, I think it's unfair to punish all the students.” Chang said they think the need for change is valid but suggests that, “instead of using design thinking skills to solve the problems, [administrators] are using regular thinking, which is the problem.”
Students are also concerned about how some of these changes will affect their daily lives at school. Junior Margaux Knobels said, “I think there are other issues we need to work on before we invite new things into our school. It feels like one more thing the teachers are going to have to police and focus on, when I just want to focus on my studies.” Knobels is wondering whether these policies are really where the school should be concentrating on. Knobels also spoke about how a lot of her school work is self-directed. “If your phone is a problem, you need to figure that out on your own,” said Knobels.
Although many students agreed that d.tech is becoming more strict, some seemed to have a more optimistic perspective. When discussing the idea of d.tech becoming more strict, Senior Yasmine Fugioka says “I would definitely say not. d.tech is giving us a lot more freedom than we had as freshman or sophomores. Especially because I am a senior and seniors get to leave school early. ” Fugioka believes that, post-COVID, d.tech needed to and is continually trying to transition back into a “real school”. Freshman Maiko Ono feels similarly. Ono said she doesn't mind the new policies and is content with not having her phone next year.
To close with the words of Greek philosopher Heraclitus: “The only constant in life is change.” Perhaps this is true of d.tech. The question remains how these changes will impact the d.tech culture and experience for current and future dragons.