Some are finding the implementation of SmartPass not so smart of a decision. 

In 2018, Peter Luba and Dhruv Sringari created the first version of SmartPass as High School Seniors with help from their Assistant Principal. In the years since, it has been adopted in thousands of schools across the globe. This year, as a new policy, Bullitt East has started using it. 

Before the SmartPass, students in classrooms would just raise their hand, and when given permission, they’d leave the classroom and go handle what they asked to do, although something was missing. “Teachers would write notes or we’d write notes from the office. There was no consistency.” Assistant Principal Michael Brangers said.

“We used to have a QR code where kids would scan with their phone as they were leaving a classroom. That kind of fell away.” Brangers said. Another system the school has tried, although when it didn’t work as planned, it eventually just broke apart.

The issue that warranted a change for the school wasn’t just the five hundred kids above the limit of the school, although that is one of the reasons. The main issue is people being out of area, going to the bathroom for an extended period and not doing what they are supposed to do. “Obviously, we continue to battle things such as vaping in the bathroom is something we’re trying to continue to battle and make sure it’s not happening, mostly people out of area.” Brangers said.

Administration enjoys the new system, but do teachers? “At first I was like, not another new thing that we have to manage,” said Joelle Armstrong, an English teacher. 

      “But now that I see how simple it is, and the kids have been introduced to it, and they seem to have embraced it, I totally get the information it’s going to give to the administration.” Said Armstrong.

Administration can generate reports by seeing which students spend time in certain areas and how long they do it. Although administration and teachers are fans, students seem to be unhappy with the extra steps. “I don’t really see the point in it. I think the intention behind it is really good, but at the same time, what if I need more than 5 minutes to use the bathroom?” Said Sarah Hare, a fellow senior.

        With SmartPass comes extra steps to the process of leaving class, and this is seen as a nuisance to some. There is also the worry of needing extra time, and how people will reach the places they need to and get back without worrying administration.