MHS students now required to pay class dues

It was recently announced that students at Marianna High School will be asked to pay class dues beginning this year to ease the need for fund raising throughout the school year.
“We’re trying to ensure that, with activities such as homecoming floats, there is money to do those things,to decorate for prom, without having to do so many individual fund raisers. The prom is an expensive proposition and we want kids to be able to have a nice prom,” said MHS Principal Randy Ward.
Each student is required to pay the $10 fee to be able to participate in school events such as homecoming week, prom and graduation.  Students who qualify for free or reduced lunch will be required to pay $5.
“This allows every student to contribute a small part in offsetting rising costs, and to reduce the need to depend totally on local businesses and fund raising efforts to sponsor these costly high school traditions,” reads part of a notice about class dues on the school’s Web site.
Ward said many of the fees typically associated with these events will still be in existence.
“If a student shows a lack of ability to pay the dues, we’ll work with them on some alternative,” said Ward. “If a students is just saying he or she is just not going to pay, well,  some of these activities are privileges not rights.”
Ward said the $10 amount was not high compared to some of the high schools he noted while researching the decision.
“It’s also a manner of teaching responsibility: In order to have some things you’ve got to pay for them,” said Ward.
Ward said he, student government leaders and other teachers were all involved in discussing whether to implement the dues.
“I have not had anybody complain to me about it,” said Ward.
Although prom and graduation are typically regarded as senior and junior class events, rreshman and sophomores will also be required to pay the dues. Students who move during the school year will not be granted a refund. The dues are required regardless of what point in the school year a student enrolls at the school.
The dues, according to the school Web site, should not be spent on anything other than homecoming , prom or graduation. Any other expenditure of the dues will be determined by the class sponsors and principal.
Visit the MHS Web site to learn more about the school’s class dues policy.