Fights and students congregating in the courtyard and not reporting to class on time were factors that led to principal Juan Villarreal’s decision to close down the courtyard in early January. 

“It has made the courtyard a little safer, cause now students are not able to congregate there and be late to class, and we haven’t had a fight, you know knock on wood, but we want our school to be safe,” Villarreal said. “We want our school to be safe for every student that comes to Sam Houston High School.”

He feels some students aren’t responsible enough to have the courtyard open and that most students are doing what’s expected.

“Again I always say that we have wonderful kids here, but there’s that 3% of students who are not doing what they are supposed to be doing,” he said.

Junior Ashley Gallegos said the courtyard closure was a smart choice and has pros and cons. 

“It was a good thing because it has helped us become more responsible, cause some students would just hang out in the courtyard and be late to class and now that the courtyard is closed we have to go straight to class,” she said. “It’s bad because now students have to go around the school to get to class. So it makes us late to classes, and now the hallways are all packed and like some students just hang out in the hallways.”

Junior Jose Castanon disagreed with Villarreal’s choice to close the courtyard. He said it was still causing disruptions in the learning environment because students are now conversing and being violent in the halls.

“It’s way easier for me to be late because now everyone is only taking one hallway,” he said. “There’s just too many people in this school for him to close the courtyard.”

Gabriella “Neptune” Cruz

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