Parkway School District offers a lot of different electives that costs money and benefits their students in many different ways. But with that come risks. Risks that the district no longer deems necessary to take; such as the drivers ed program.

Dr. Wilhelm, a Parkway South Administrator, explained to me in a recent interview why the Parkway District doesn’t offer this course anymore.

“The benefits of the Drivers Ed class in the Parkway School District is not worth the costs and liability of the district.”

The students that want to take this could help with the costs such a deposit fee or a fee for being entered in this class like they do with some of the other electives such as the photo elective. If something is damaged you could used the money deposited to help pay for the damage.

Most students that I have talked to have wanted to have this class offered so they could take it but some students just consider it a blow off class. Kai Myers, a freshman at Parkway South High School, told me in a recent interview why he wanted to take the class and why he thinks it should be offered at south.

“ I think it would be better if the class was offered at Parkway South, because its harder to find good and cheap drivers ed class outside of the school. On top of that I rather get my permit then take the class before I just start driving on the road with my permit and no experience at all.”

Billy Grawe, another Parkway South freshman, also put in his input to me about not having drivers ed as a class.

“I would take drivers ed, because the insurance companies sometimes give you a discount for taking drivers ed. It mostly depends on the insurance company you have though.”

Some kids think that drivers ed should never been offered and it is a waste of money. Kevin Harter, a freshman at Parkway South, told us the exact thing and his opinion on why he wouldn’t take the class if it was offered.

“I would not take the class even if it was offered because driving is common sense. There is no reason to take a class for something that is common sense and should come to you right away.”

The thing with the whole common sense thing is that if it is such common sense then why are people getting into car accidents and getting tickets? Hallie Flood, a freshman at Parkway South High School, explained to me what she thought the hardest part about driving was and if the drivers ed class can help with being able to make that an easy part of driving.

“The hardest part of driving that I have noticed so far while having my permit is being able to concentrate. The drivers ed can’t really help with getting you to concentrate.”

Hallie is right with the class not being able to get you to stay focus and concentrate, but the class could give you pointers to help you stay focused while driving. Most car accidents happen these days because the drivers are getting distracted and not paying attention to what is going on with the other cars. Drivers ed can certainly help you stay focused and help you have less car accidents. Dr. Wilhelm, an administrator at Parkway South High School, has an opinion on why the teenagers driving cannot concentrate.

“The teenagers are trying to focus on one thing but instead they are paying attention to their cell phones, the radio, their friends, or the food they are eating.”

Jacob Gale, a sophomore at Parkway South High School, explained what he thought was the hardest thing about driving.

“I think the hardest thing is keeping your speed under control and not going over the speed limit. It is so easy to go over the speed limit and not even realize it until you are pulled over by a cop.”

The drivers ed program could also help with maintaining your speed. Some people don’t understand the important things about the drivers ed program and what it actually can and cannot help you with. Once again I believe that it would be very helpful if all the High Schools in the Parkway School District would offer the drivers ed class. Most of the teens that I talked to want to take this class because they think it would be helpful for them and their school credits. Some kids want to take it cause its better than fighting with your parents while trying to learn how to drive and getting stressed because the parents are nervous because this is one of the first time that teen is driving. So again why not start offering drivers ed in the Parkway School District?