Upperclassmen earn the benefits of seniority through privileges like rewards cards, early release,and most importantly getting the best parking spaces. Recently, there have been more than a few problems that come with this tradition.

According to associate principal Kris Meyer, the spaces with numbers in the bottom right corners of a parking space are senior parking spaces. They are assigned by class rank. The better a student’s class rank is, the better parking space they will receive. The student assigned to his parking space has that space until graduation, and no one else can park their car there in theory.

Senior parking has been a part of the De Soto High School experience for years. Originally it was designed by the administration and enforced by the administration, but formerproncipal, Mark Meyer, made the decision to make the program student led. This policy stands today, but there are several issues that students and administration may not be aware of.

Senior parking is a privilege, but because the administration does not deal with student parking, the seniors can take no action to enforce their spot besides directly talking to the offender. That’s where it stops.

“Senior parking is not enforceable by the administration, it is entirely student run,” said associate principal Kris Meyer.

As a result of this policy, the students have no way of backing up their property or spot, and no guarantee it will be open when they run late to school. As and affect to this, the seniors use their own tactics to claim a spot.

“Some people paint their spot. I’m actually going to this weekend,” senior Kelista McGraw said.

Even when seniors paint their space, it is still not always recognized by the students and faculty. One senior even had problems with a teacher parking in his space before school.

It’s not uncommon to overhear a senior complaining about a faculty member taking their spot.

“I’m just tired of it,” senior Jordan Wolfe said.

Although it is frustrating, students must keep in mind the nature of senior parking.

“Senior parking is definitely a privilege,” McGraw said.

As of now there is no way to enforce the privilege without just an honor system, and seniors are consistently losing their space to a sophomore or junior in a hurry.

No matter how frustrating it may be, the seniors’ privilege to use senior parking and to also defend their spaces cannot get out of hand.

“If it becomes a problem, we won’t have senior parking anymore,” Meyer said.