Editorial: Closed campuses have been a success

Tuesday, May 20, 2003 | 9:09 a.m.

A year ago a car carrying five Las Vegas High School students crashed into a light pole as the students were rushing to return to school after leaving campus during their lunch period. Two of the students died and three others were injured. In response, the Clark County School District implemented a closed-campus policy for all its high schools, a policy that prevents students from leaving school during lunch periods.

As the Sun's Emily Richmond reported Monday, school officials say there have been ancillary benefits that extend beyond the policy's primary goal, which is to ensure the students' safety by getting them off the road during lunch time. Tardiness is down and there has been a sizable decrease in the number of minor vehicle accidents in school parking lots. Still, there is only so much the policy can do, as John Phillips, a driver's education teacher, told the Sun. Phillips cited the need for more restrictions for younger drivers, including legislation to strengthen driver's education requirements that have to be met before a license is granted. But that legislation died in the Assembly last week. "The major problem is parents are letting their kids go out on the road unprepared," Phillips said.

The schools on their own can't turn high school students into mature drivers. That job begins at home with parents. Nonetheless, when those students are at school, they are the responsibility of their teachers and principals. The school administrators made the right decision when they closed campuses, a policy that we believe should continue.