According to the Arkansas Code§ 12-13-109, the state legislature required “all educational institutions to keep all exiting doors and classroom doors closed and locked during school hours, with the exception of transition times.” While this provision was included in the 2022 Arkansas School Safety Commission Final Report published Oct. 1 of that year, the enforcement of this provision did not go into effect until Nov. 17, 2025.
As of that date, students could no longer use the courtyard during passing periods. Throughout all of senior Noah Lazenby’s high school experience, he has been able to go through the courtyard to get to class. He has witnessed the gates being locked every day that he’s attended school. The blue gates are secured every day with the exits only accessible from inside the courtyard area.
“I thought the big blue gate was an alternative. So I don’t really understand what the point of it is anymore,” Lazenby said. “But I feel like that was the best alternative.”
Student Council sponsor and English teacher Kamyrn Carpenter found out about this rule on Nov. 11 and knows that it takes away a lot of access points that keep the students from messing around places they shouldn’t. However, she also believes that privileges are taken away.
“I agree with what I think a lot of students are going to say, it takes away their freedom,” Carpenter said. “I think the courtyard has been offered as a safe place.”
Since this rule has come into effect during the middle of the semester, Carpenter can see that it will be hard to enforce.
“I think it would have been a lot easier to get students on board if it had been at the beginning of the year,” Carpenter said.
Establishing the change at the beginning of the school year would have helped students navigate the school easier, as students develop habits of going a certain way every day. Senior Colby Pinalto used the courtyard as a faster route to his class every year he attended the school. His route now takes longer to get from place to place on campus.
“I have to walk all the way around into the E Hall from the farthest hallway away. And so it just takes longer to get to where I need to go,” Pianalto said.
Students who are a part of the TV production and PE classes were greatly affected by the change, as were students who used the fieldhouse. Those are the students that are in the most inconvenient classes now since they now have no quick way to other halls. These classes only have one hall to enter and exit now. Athletes are required to walk all the way around to the front of the building.
“They have to walk all the way from the gym side, around the entire school instead of just being able to cut through the gym to the cafeteria,” Lazenby said.
Pianalto, a member of the National Honors Society, has put in a lot of work into redoing the courtyard area for students. This project was worked on by many of the members and now their work feels to have been for nothing.
“We don’t get to see what we changed, because if we go outside and get locked outside, then we basically get written up,” Pinalto said. “We put in all the work to change the way it looked.”