Taft has around 4,289 kids that attend this school. Which is a lot, so it tends to cause crowds throughout the building. It’s an obvious problem when people take up the hallways talking or waiting for a friend. There are so many reasons why these crowds could form, but how can we control them?
This can get a bit nerve wracking when you think of how big the school is; but in reality, it’s not that bad. All the hallways are long and narrow due to the amount of classes at Taft. That doesn’t really help with the amount of students at the school. Many students believe that these crowds shouldn’t exist, but how can we stop them?
The hallways make students become very overwhelmed. “People feel like they have no space,” said Bella Ornelen, a junior. Also, when students are just trying to get to class, they have to rush themselves. “You walk faster or speed walk through,” said Ornelen. During the lunch periods throughout the day, it can get busy in the halls. “It is the most crowded when there is lunch during that period,” said Ornelen.
Safety is a problem that should be taken seriously. “On a scale of one to ten, I feel six in regards to my safety. If you’re not paying attention at all times you could jeopardize tripping or falling.. especially on the stairs,” said Ornelen. It’s important that every student at Taft feels safe, whether it’s before, during, or after school hours. But because of how fast these large groups of students gather together, it’s not surprising that some students feel uneasy getting from place to place in the hallways.
“It’s bad enough that everyone rubs against each other. That’s how you get sick easily,” said Samantha Quayle, a junior. Even though being one of 4,289 students seems like a lot, surprisingly, it has its perks too. “I have my schedule sorted out so that I’m able to get to my classes early and avoid the crowds,” said Ashiya Johnson, a junior.
This problem doesn’t apply only to students – staff have been affected by it, too. “It’s ridiculous,” said Selina Hernandez, a Safety Officer for Taft. She may not have to deal with the same things students have, but she agrees that it seems unfair for students to have to suffer the consequences of being a part of such a big school. “I feel safe since I’m not a student, but I have been shoved before. It’s nothing fun,” said Hernandez.
“The wider the school, the more of a chance someone has to be able to find who they click with,” said English teacher Emma Levine. She came to the same agreement. “But the main problem is that kids are not moving in the halls, and they’re not going where they’re supposed to,” she continued.
As compared to last year, there’s been an increase in the amount of pressure from security. More Safety Officers have been spotted throughout the school, enforcing the rules, and it seems like the response time for potential threats is faster. “I have noticed a consistency in the number of Safety Officers this year. I’m sure that has something to do with crowd-controlling,” said Levine.
All of them agree that the halls are too crowded. The solution could be for students to create personal paths for each class and not linger with their friends. Overall, students should stay out of each other’s way, and keep the halls active.
