Recently some students– names unprovided for their own personal reasons– have noticed issues with adults, parents, community members, and even siblings using the disabled parking spots to drop off kids or sit there until school starts or ends.

This is a recurring issue outside of our school as well. A local community member, James Hammond, disabled from his waist down, has said, “Sometimes it takes a whole 10 minutes before the spots are free or I find a van spot”. He says this is true for Mead High School as well as other businesses.

At MHS, we have many kids who are disabled or who need those spots that some parents use to drop kids off. While some parents are injured, their kids may not be and they shouldn’t use their injuries to benefit their kids.

Some students, who wish to remain anonymous, have said they have used the parking spots “for just a few minutes.” One even said that her brother used it to “drop off Starbucks”.

Parking in a disabled or handicap parking spot without proof of, or a sign indicating that you are in fact a handicap is illegal and can result in a fine up to $150 to $200 dollars, according to ‘My Parking Permit’.

Even being in a handicapped parking spot for more than a few minutes could cause someone who is actually handicapped to have to park elsewhere and further away.

What’s worse is that individuals driving sedans (two or four-door cars) think their cars can be parked in van spots. These spots are for vans with wheelchair access. They have ramps for disabled people.

Dominic Romito, a Sophomore who is wheelchair bound, said that he needs to use a ramp, and he explains that if someone is using a van spot, particularly before school, it could end up causing him or anyone else to be late.

Disabled parking spots should be used by designated people who need to use them, not for things like Starbucks, dropping off, or picking up.