In a school of more than 2,000 students, MHS students are rarely seen loitering around their lockers. This raises the question: does anyone use their locker? 

Currently, Rockwood has no policy for locker usage or repurposing old lockers. This needs to be reconsidered.

When the renovated science halls opened in 2020, the amount of lockers in the halls was heavily reduced. One portion of the lockers was turned into seating. These benches have USB and electrical outlets along the bottom to give students a place to work. 

A prime example of why lockers should be removed is foreign language classes. These classes have speaking tests that happen in the halls. Every day, multiple chairs and tables are dragged out to the hallway. It would make everyone’s lives easier if the seats were built in. 

Jessica Hutchings, science teacher, attended MHS in 1993, its inaugural year. She remarked that the hallways are much quieter than they used to be since students don’t loiter around their lockers. 

“Kids don’t use their lockers so much because everything is digital,” Hutchings said.

Hutchings’ teaching style has also evolved to account for more digital assignments. 

Now, almost every textbook can be accessed on a device the size of a standard AP Government textbook. 

In all of MHS, there are 1534 lockers in total. 1177 are assigned to students and staff, but rarely go used. Some sections of lockers are even zip-tied and are completely marked off for use. 

While removing every locker would not be possible or necessary, the need for the halls of MHS to evolve is still essential. As time has passed, technology has overtaken the usage of textbooks and physical work. This means that the use of precious space by large lockers is for no good purpose. Sections of the building where little to no used lockers, such as the ISS hallway, should be replaced by more seating and hallway space.