Opinion by Blaine Schumacher

Mount Vernon has introduced a new 20-minute time period into the MTSS class period. During this time, all students must stay inside their assigned class unless they are claimed, or they have a pass. Students understand that this time was put in place to reduce the amount of distractions while also trying to encourage them to get as much work done as possible, however, the exact opposite happens. Students are restricted in what they are able to do and are far more interactive than before. The time period could be used in a far greater way without it.

MTSS was meant to be a time for students to get homework done, retake assessments, and meet with teachers for extra help or reteaching. Now it seems that the principal is keeping the students contained in a room rather than wanting to help the students. Students are restricted on what they are able to do during the 20 minutes because we are stuck in one room. Students need access to certain utilities such as computers, iPads, or textbooks. Students also need a full class period of time to retake or make up tests. They are left inside a room that serves no use to them which then wastes the students’ time, contradicting the main purpose of MTSS.

The easiest solution is to get rid of the 20 minutes. Students can then focus on what needs to get done with the full 85 minutes rather than just wasting a quarter of the block.  The other option would be to allow students to have a choice in which room they need to be in. Administrators think that having an assigned class is a very helpful system to keep kids in order, but I have already stated why this isn’t true. More students are still incredibly loud and obnoxious even more so because they lack the resources to do some of their homework. If teachers still want to keep a system where students have an assigned room, then a signup sheet could be put in order, or students could simply just walk into the teacher’s room before the bell rings.

The idea of MTSS is for students to get their work done, but how can this be done when they don’t have the resources to do most of it? The 20 minute restriction the school has on students’ needs to change. There are easy ways to fix this issue, and students would get far more done because of it.

MTSS Prison