Student parking permits have been updated this year in order to allow administrators to differentiate between the two tiers of student driving privileges – red for students with provisional licenses, and black for students with unrestricted licenses.
According to campus security supervisor Levi Hooks, the change was designed to keep students safe by preventing provisional drivers from taking their friends out in their cars, violating the laws stipulated by the state of California attached to their provisional license.
“The parent community has a concern, as I do, that when you stand out there at lunch, kids are piling in [to cars], and racing off campus to get to lunch in a short amount of time,” Assistant Principal LaSandra White said.
The idea for the change came from the PTSA, and was put into action by the administration.
According to Hooks, he and his security team will flag down students and remind them that they are in violation of state law as well as school rules.
It remains unclear what action Hooks and his fellow Campus Supervisors can take upon catching a provisionally-licensed student driving friends illegally. According to White, that has yet to be decided.
“We haven’t really sat down as administrators and campus assistants, who handle discipline, and our school resource officer, who was part of this, to really flesh out how we’re going to approach it when it happens,” White said.
White explained additionally that the administration may rescind the parking privileges of offenders.
White confirmed that the Redwood administration did not inform or coordinate with the Central Marin Police Authority about the provisionally color-coded permits.
According to White, The Central Marin Police Authority has access to information regarding the new permits through our school resource officer, Patty Monge, but whether or not they are aware of it is unknown.
Students will be able to replace their provisional color-coded permit with a fully privileged one upon turning 18 or completing their provisional year.
A third type of parking permit will also be issued this year – one that designates the holder as a carpool driver. This new permit will allow its holders the privilege of “parking in designated carpool spaces in the front lot,” according to AP secretary Cindi Clinton, who assigns parking permits.
These spaces are closer to the main building than others. “There are about ten or twelve spots right up front that are marked carpool,” Clinton said.
In order to receive one of these carpool permits, a student must have a minimum of three passengers’ parent signatures on their permit application, and be a fully licensed driver.
