PLEASANT VIEW, Utah — One Utah school leader is now pleading with teens to stop putting their lives at risk by racing and driving recklessly.
Weber High School's Principal, Ryan Kachold, has seen the worst: "I have been part of a fatality. I have seen it happen," he stated, which is why recent behavior seen from parking lot cameras at his high school has struck a chord.
"You had a larger number of students who were saying, 'Drive Drive Drive,' with students on the vehicles," Kachold explained. "Kids hanging out of cars while they are moving to kids standing on the back or top of vehicles, all the way to very specific examples of two cars racing with someone standing in the middle dropping their hands."
Those are just some examples of the reckless driving that is taking place in Weber High School's parking lot. So he sent a letter to parents and students pleading with them to stop. "There's a lot of behavior that we deal with in school that we have a lot of purview over correcting, but the game changes when they get behind a car," Kachold said.
In the letter, Principal Kachold stated that Weber High School has partnered with local law enforcement and will pursue charges associated with reckless driving that occurs on campus or at school activities. "I have not only seen at Weber High, I have been a high school administrator in two states at multiple high schools, and it's surprising how similar the behavior is across various demographics," Kachold explained.
His letter is resonating with the community. He says that since he sent the plea to families, there has been a significant decrease in dangerous incidents in the parking lot. "Be your own person, think twice, and most importantly, whatever you are thinking about doing, if it can hurt somebody, don't, it's not worth it."
While there isn't much time left in the school year, Principal Kachold wants students to remember if they see something, say something. And don't succumb to peer pressure.
DRIVEN TO CHANGE
