Last week students were told that the turf, all of the athletic fields, and the hill with the picnic table behind the arts building are considered “off campus” and are therefore off limits for underclassmen for the rest of the year. This rule has been in the student handbook for years; often considered irrelevant, it has seldom been enforced, if ever. The sudden announcement prompted anger and confusion from some in the student body. Many students were left with a lingering question: Why now?

Many underclassmen have been using the turf since the weather has gotten warmer. Students consider the turf a place to relax, play with friends, and let off a little steam. So why would the administration want to get rid of a favorite hangout spot on campus?

On Friday the students were looking for answers and went to Dean of Students, Coach Parseghian to find them.

“The main problem is no supervision,” said Coach P. “No one is out there to keep watch over you guys, and if someone gets hurt, then the school is liable.”

“And besides,” he continued, “it is in your handbook.”

First of all, I understand that liability is a risk on campus and that school officials are supposed to have an eye on us at all times. But what is going to happen in the middle of a field? There is no serious risk tossing a Frisbee with or without supervision from an adult.

Secondly, this handbook needs some serious editing, which the administration will be doing this summer.

On page 17 of the student handbook, it states that that the only place for recreational physical activity outside of classes is “the grassy area in front of the field house.”

Perhaps the authors of the student handbook have not been out on that circular piece of grass lately because if they had, they would know that it is in awful shape. There is a storm drain right in the middle, a bee’s nest, and there is not a single crosswalk to the area.

Yet according to Coach Parseghian, it is safer for students to be out there than on an open field. In the words of Seth Meyers of weekend update, “Really?!”

While it may be true that a few teachers can see us from their classrooms,  isn’t that the same for the turf?

In an interview with a science teacher, the teacher said that there were two main reasons they agreed with the new enforcement of the rule. One,  it can be very distracting to students in their class to have students running around outside. Second, it makes this teacher feel uncomfortable when students are unsupervised.

“You never know what could happen,” said the teacher.

I agree that in some cases students can be distracting, but every student looks out the window, whether or not there are people outside. And it is true there is always a possibility that something bad could happen, but while we are on the turf, I just don’t see what could go catastrophically wrong.

I am not the only student upset with the school administration’s decision. Jerry Lerman, a sophomore, often goes out to the turf during his free periods. He too is angered by the loss of the athletic fields.

“Look, I get the liability issue,” said Lerman. “But nothing has gone wrong for almost two years; why change the rule now?”

Another sophomore, Christian Lozano, had this to say on supervision on the turf. “We only play simple sports like Frisbee, World Cup [a derivative of soccer], and lax [lacrosse]; why should we need supervision to do that?”

Unfortunately, another problem that the school has had with the turf is trash. Students have been taking their lunches and eating on the turf, then carelessly leaving their trash for the athletes to deal with later that day. I absolutely agree with the rule barring food from being eaten on the turf, but that was never enforced. The trash issue is what brought the use of the turf into question in the first place.

But not all hope is lost for the recreational usage of athletic fields during school. Both Mr. Tutwiler and Coach Parseghian told me that they are heavily saddened that they have to enforce this rule.

“I bleed orange and black, I hate to see students hurt here,” said Coach P.

“It is great that you guys find a way to let off some steam,” remarked Mr. Tutwieler in a meeting with a few sophomores last week.

Both administrators are looking for a resolution and are looking for teacher volunteers to spend one of their free blocks outside during the rotation.

What students can do to get the turf back is simple. We will likely never get it back without supervision, but we might be able to use it with teachers watching. So students, if you want the turf, talk to your teachers, convince them to spend a free block out there. I would have no problem spending my time outside under the eye of a teacher, if it meant being able to use the turf.