The parking situation at Durango High School has reached a critical point, adversely affecting students, faculty, and parents alike. The lack of available parking spaces for students with legitimate parking passes has created chaos and frustration in our school community. The main parking lot, which is designated for students with passes, is being overtaken by individuals who park without authorization, particularly affecting staff and students who genuinely require these spaces.

This issue has been compounded by the unauthorized parking with students who have less seniority, such as Freshmen and Sophomores, as well as the issue of passes being "Sold Out". Meanwhile, there is adjacent parking available at the fairgrounds next to the high school and the Dirt lot, yet these facilities are not being leveraged effectively, as parking passes for the fairgrounds are no longer accessible to students. Even with the fairgrounds parking being an option having the side gate closed off from the dirt lot makes it very overwhelming for some students. The option that is most used by students with no Parking pass is the neighborhood right across DHS that create havoc due to the limited spacing and the long walk followed by the even longer wait for the cross walk at the light.

Another solution to this problem would be part-time passes, when taking in consideration with students schedules and their day to day schedule this leaves many key factors on the table, such as; "Does this student have class during this period?" and or "Is this student at school today?". This would benefit staff and students all around especially where upperclassmen have the option to take classes at the Fort and leave their spot up for grabs, and have free periods. I believe this would change the parking problem drastically considering whenever I leave school at the end of the day the main lot is rarely ever "full". Now closing in on a week from the strict enforcement of parking passes the Main and Dirt lot are starting to see all time low numbers.

One more solution proposed is to just take away the Parking Pass system. Let it be a "First come, First serve" ordeal and allow surveillance of the Main and Dirt lot, too many times we see students have their car hit and scratched and the person who hit their car just flee the scene not allowing for any exchange of contacts. This is a solution due to the less skillful drivers that may not be perfect but cause a hazard in the lot.

The consequences of this disorganized system include safety hazards due to overcrowding, increased traffic around the school, and a general disruption to the punctuality and efficiency of school operations. It is crucial to implement a well-structured and equitable parking system that prioritizes those students who need it most and ensures fair access for all. Factors to take into account are the injured students who don't need that far and harsh walk and or students who may miss school due to an excused call out and be rolling in a couple minutes late. It's not just for me as a student but for everyone now and years to come. This has been an issue all my years at DHS and needs to change immediately. 

We propose the reinstatement and fair distribution of parking passes, and right number of parking passes for the Durango high school as well as a strict enforcement policy to ensure that only students with valid passes park in the designated school parking lots as well as advocate for the students with no passes by opening the side gate in the Dirt Lot and considering Part-Time passes. Additionally, there should be clear guidelines ensuring that the parking needs of upperclassmen are prioritized, while encouraging underclassmen to utilize alternative parking solutions.

By taking these steps, Durango High School can significantly reduce traffic congestion, improve safety measures, and create a more pleasant and efficient environment for everyone involved. Your support in signing this petition is crucial to bringing about these essential changes for the betterment of our school community. Please sign this petition to urge local authorities and school administrators to address and rectify the parking situation effectively at Durango High School. Go Demons!