Fourteen students got stuck in the main building parking lot elevator on Wednesday, March 9 for 25 minutes on their way back from COVID testing.
Out of the 14 students who were on the elevator, none of the students had an elevator pass. The elevator company will be billing the school; however, the bill’s amount is still unknown.
Assistant Principal Drew Stewart was alerted by English teacher and journalism adviser Gaby Doyle that the students were stuck in the elevator.
“I had a student in my period three who kept getting a phone call from another student and she told me that she thought her friend was stuck in the elevator, so I let her answer the phone,” Doyle said. “The girl on the phone was very distressed. When she told me what elevator they were on, I began calling every administrator and office I could.”
Doyle was “disgusted and disappointed” by the actions of the students in the elevator because the elevators are not for students’ usage.
“During this time that they were stuck in the elevator, a student on crutches walked by my room, asking where the nearest elevator was, and I had to tell him that it was unavailable because a bunch of irresponsible students were stuck in it,” Doyle said.
Similar to Doyle, Stewart believes that this incident is a “serious situation.”
“We’ve had a lot on our plates this year, but one of the bad habits that have developed is students in the elevators. It’s been a concern of staff for a long time,” Stewart said. “Students absolutely need to stay out of the elevators. We’re also going to be publishing a post on ParentSquare and making an announcement on the Norman Connection about it, and students are going to face disciplinary action if they are in the elevator without a pass.”
Although Stewart is unable to discuss what disciplinary action will be taken, he believes that all students should be aware of the consequences of their actions, especially when their actions could be potentially putting others at risk.
“The fire department comes to us as a gratuity, but it is a dangerous misallocation of their time,” Stewart said. “In my opinion, the actions of the students put other parts of the city at risk by having to bring the fire department out here.”
