Many students at Miami High have tardy problems. “Every day we have at least 200 tardies, and that’s because school just started, but then the tardies increase to 300 or more,” said attendance office manager Ms. Mabel Garcia.

Sometimes students have things that impede them from being on time to school. For example,  senior Ariel Arteaga stated, “What causes me to be late to school is that I have problems waking up because I work, and when I get home, I’m exhausted, but since this year started, I’ve been trying to be on time to school.”

Dayami Mas, another senior, said that she is late to school because she forgets to set the alarm sometimes. “I’m late to school because I wake up late and I distract myself on my way to school,” said senior Rodolfo Perez.

You may think students with tardy problems get punished, but, in reality, some don’t. Dayami Mas, Yanela Pavon, and Keylings Cardoza all said that they have never been punished because of their tardies.

On the other hand, AP Spanish language teacher Ms Sandino said, “I send my students to get a late pass when they are tardy, and when students have a lot of tardies, I call their parents.”

Regardless of the punishments, many students do suffer because they are getting late to class.   AP Spanish Literature teacher Dr. Inguanzo agrees. “Students being late have great disadvantages and one of them is that they lose content,” she said. “Also, being late interrupts my class, and I hate interruptions because I think my class is very important and every minute counts.”

Ariel Arteaga said, “When I’m was late to school, I fall behind in my classes and miss important things.” Yanela Pavon said, “Attendance is very important. Many tardies don’t look good in your record.”

Excusing your tardies makes you look good because it shows that you care about the consequences that may come. “It’s essential for students with tardy problem to excuse their tardies because for every three tardies, there is an absence,” said Attendance Office Manager Mabel Garcia.