900410. 765833. What seems to be a series of random numbers is actually your school ID number. All student at Wayland High have their own ID number, but until recently, very few people ever used them. On April 28th, the ID numbers were put into common use as huge lines streamed out of the lunch doors. To buy food, students must either bring an ID card, or memorize a six digit number.

An anonymous student claims, “It took me a little over twenty minutes to get my lunch today, and yesterday it took me much longer.” We too have experienced this same problem. Once, after waiting in a long line, we only had three minutes to stuff down our lunches. Although there may be good intentions behind these new “improvements” in the system, it does not make sense to waste an entire lunch period waiting in line for lunch.

After we tried to use a friend’s ID number for convenience, the cafeteria staff told us that the cards were used to notify our parents of what we were eating at school, and that we were only allowed to use our own. Parents will receive in the mail a list of all the food their children purchase. Supposedly, this would allow us to be more conscientious in choosing our meals every day.

It is understandable that parents might want to keep a close eye on what their children are eating. Still, as most students near college, it may be time for parents to trust their children to make the right decisions about what a healthy meal is.

In addition, a new system has been created in which attendance is taken via computer before every class. This way, parents will be able to see exactly which classes students have been tardy for or absent from. The good intentions are understandable, but WHS already has a system established that deals with students who choose to skip classes or arrive late: demerits. Parents are already notified of their children’s misbehavior through Saturday school, which is highly enforced. Students don’t need an additional tracking system that further inhibits them from becoming independent.

Although parents should watch over their children, they do not need to know of every decision their child makes. From long lunch lines to inhibition of independence, our school’s introduction of a new ID system in a world already being flooded with all sorts of opportunities for “oversight” is not quite as helpful as some may think.