The unticking clocks
It seems that almost every class has a broken clock. (Emma Craine / Photo)
By Haley Peterson and Emma Craine | Editors | September 25, 2012
What’s worse: checking my phone to see the time or frantically packing my backpack to avoid being late to my next class after the unsuspected bell abruptly rings?
I’ll risk the phone confiscation.
Considering the fact that nearly every one of my classrooms got a brand new, pristine hi-def, 56″ Apple TV this year (even though the California public school budget is next to nothing), you would think that our district would have enough money to fix the broken clocks in the classrooms.
But alas, that is not the case.
It’s one of the most frustrating things is to be sitting in 4th period, day-dreaming about lunch, only to realize that those sacred 30 minutes designated for eating are still 45 minutes away.
As far as we can discern from the lack of viable clocks on campus, either the administration is desperate to confiscate student’s cell phones (which is highly unlikely, due to the recent consideration of revising of the District’s cell phone policy), intends to make student’s power-walk to their next class so as not to be late (again, we doubt this is true), or simply doesn’t have the time (pun intended) to fix the outdated analog clocks.
Wouldn’t it be more logical for a small portion of the technology budget to be put towards fixating classrooms with proper time-telling devices rather that towards outfitting classrooms with high-end TV’s?
Which by the way, the majority of teachers that I have either don’t know how to use the TV’s or haven’t used them yet.
Clocks that actually work and have the potential to be looked at each and every day would be a much more useful resource for our school.
Whether they be analog or digital, we could care less. We just want to be able to know what time it is during class without the fear of checking our phones.
And yes, we realize that some people will say, “Just wear a watch!” But is that really fair to the underprivileged students who can’t afford watches?
It seems that knowing what time it is shouldn’t be a privilege to the better-off students who can simply glance at their multicolored, fashion-forward watches and know whether they can relax for a couple more minutes before the bell rings, or if they have to start packing up.
Frankly, fixing the clocks in the classrooms isn’t asking too much.
But I guess I’ll keep checking my phone until that time comes.
About Haley Peterson
Haley has always been ambitious and her senior year is no exception. As the Editor in Chief of The Charger Account, she has set her expectations high for this year's staff. Outside of journalism, Haley is a captain on the cross country team, a four-year varsity starter on the softball team, and president of Usherettes. She is also a self-proclaimed foodie who loves to experiment in the kitchen.
Todd Borden: 
Gloria Dugan: 
Jack: 
Lawrence:
Students absolutely should have penalty-free access to the time of day at all times. By the way, there’s a clock in Mr. Bower’s room (H-27, I think) that not only tells time correctly but does so in a way that entices students to learn more math.