Administration allows 18-year-old students to sign themselves out during second office hour

Catelyn DiLeva

Staff Writer

Mira Costa 18-year-old students who do not have a fifth or sixth period will now be able to sign themselves out during the second office hour with an off grounds pass if they have a valid reason for leaving, according to Costa Principal Dr. Ben Dale.

The Costa administration previously stated that Costa students over the age of 18 could not leave during the second office hour unless a parent or guardian was there in person to sign them out. 

According to Dale, the administration solely wanted to restrict off-grounds movement for the first several office hours to ensure that students and staff knew the office hours process and routine. He said they planned to eventually allow students whose last class was fourth period to leave.

In response to the original requirement surrounding all 18 year olds staying for the second office hour,  seniour Lauren McKenna began a petition and seniors Daniela Coe-McNamara and Reilly Auville met with Dale.

McKenna’s petition was originally created because of the fact that students who normally ended school at 12:21 p.m. after fourth period were being kept until 1:23 p.m., when the second office hour ends.  Nonetheless, Dale said that he never saw a petition and it did not influence his decision to start allowing 18 year olds to leave campus with a valid reason without a parent present to sign them out.

“I heard rumors about [the petition],” Dale said.  “Nothing was ever shown to me.”

Coe-McNamara and Auville met with Dale twice throughout the week of Nov. 2 regarding alterations to the policy.  Auville said that these meetings were meant to address the fact that the administration was breaking the California Education Code 46012, which states that students 18 years of age or over are given the right to verify their own absences from school.

In regards to Ed Code 46012, Costa Vice Principal Dr. Karina Gerger stated that 18-year-old students stayed during the second office hours because it was a general rule to help adjust to office hours.

“The administration wanted everyone to get used to the new bell schedule,” Gerger said.

According to Dale, he did not address 18-year-old students with a zero through fourth period signing themselves out during the second office hours because of Coe-McNamara and Auville, but their input was helpful.