Rep. Richard Littlefield: Past due to address issues of tardiness at LHS

To The Daily Sun,

Schools used to be institutions with rules, regulations and lofty standards for attendance.

It seems some students at Laconia High are not happy that they are not allowed infinite days to be tardy before something is done.

It seems they are not used to having rules enforced.

Principal Jim McCollum walked into a school being more like an asylum where the patients did what they wanted when they wanted to do it, he has instituted rules to end the madness, and I for one applaud him for that.

I have seen the words frustrated and irresponsible show up in the last two letters from LHS students.

What I see as irresponsible is allowing five to ten tardies before a punishment is handed down.

What I see as frustrating is having an average of 100 students a day picking and choosing what time they are going to stroll into class disrupting others who made the effort to be on time.

Being on time is a building block to success in life.

A regular 9-5 job would never let an employee come in late consistently without a pink slip and a final paycheck.

Now I know it's all the rage to defy authority these days, but when you become an adult it's not so cool when you're jobless and don't have anyone to blame but yourself.

I read a comment on my news break app from a young mother basically saying what's the use in punishing these kids who don't want to be in these classes in the first place.

In my opinion as a parent of two coming up through the Laconia school system that is the wrong frame of mind for a parent to be in when it comes to deciding whether or not to reign in student's bad behaviors.

I couldn't be happier that LHS has a principal like Jim.

He is not only tough on those who want to disrupt others but he is fair and always has been.

Instead of pushing back against new policies, the students who wrote letters should ask themselves why they prefer the old lawlessness of Laconia High to a school that is on a better path for those who choose to show up and further their educations for a success filled life.

Mr. McCollum is a stand-up person as well as an administrator and I hope that he decides to stay on past this year.

Rep. Richard Littlefield

Laconia