By Joshua Pegram
Atkins HS will be getting a new principal later this school year. Despite the opinion of some students, they should not repeal SMOD.
With Atkins Principal Chris Nichols retiring later this school year, students have been starting to think about what a new principal will do for the school. One of the more common opinions is that this replacement should repeal the Atkins SMOD policy. Although this policy is unpopular among some students, doing away with it would be a mistake.
Many students think that the SMOD policy is unfair. The consensus seems to be, “If other high schools don’t have SMOD, so why should we?” The answer is that Atkins is not like other high schools. Atkins is one of the top high schools in the district, ranked high above the county and state averages in science, math, and reading. It is a magnet school with a graduation rate far higher than the state median. Being a part of a school like this comes at a cost.
Atkins’ education programs are highly prestigious in the school district and can be very helpful in the lives of students who are willing to put in the work. As a STEM magnet school, students can apply to Atkins from across the school district, unlike most other schools where only residential students can apply. Students who apply for the magnet program are chosen by random chance in a lottery, so some students who wish to attend may not be selected. Students who wish to attend Atkins and put in the work here would be a much better fit than students who do not want to be here. SMOD acts as a deterrent to prevent students who do not want to be here from applying.
Students unwilling to put up with the minor inconvenience of SMOD to attend Atkins, would likely not care enough to put in the effort to get good grades and be productive members of the Atkins community. Students who choose Atkins are willing to put in the effort to further their education here regardless of the SMOD policy. If this standard were abolished, Atkins would likely become more flooded with students who are only interested in the merit of attending Atkins, one of the few A schools in the district, rather than focusing on what it has to offer--not putting in the hard work that is necessary at this school. Atkins has an air of professionalism concerning learning, which SMOD contributes to.
SMOD also helps eliminate distractions from the learning environment. Atkins takes learning seriously and shuns distractions. Certain types of clothing can cause distractions in class. The use of SMOD eliminates most clothing-based distractions. In addition, it helps students feel like they are part of a group with others, and prevents discrimination on the basis of clothing. Formal attire benefits students by preparing them for prospective career positions with which they may be expected to wear a uniform or conform to certain clothing expectations.
If a new principal were to do away with SMOD, then that would surely result in a decrease in student performance. The last thing that Atkins needs is to lower its standards for students. More students who do not care about their education and a decrease in student professionalism would take away the very thing that makes Atkins one of the best schools in the district.