Following a physical conflict at the Homecoming football game, a new set of rules was released for all future Hebron games. These rules went into effect on Oct. 20.
The rules were set during a meeting held by the administration, building/stadium officials, the district safety team and local authorities. School resource officer David Lee said they wanted to alleviate the issues at the Homecoming game, where an altercation took place between Hebron and non-Hebron students.
“We thought about what the best plan of action was [following the conflict],” Lee said. “When it comes to mitigating issues, we know some of it is going to be inconvenient, but in the long run, we have to be unified when it comes to these topics.”
The rules put in place were set to prevent further altercations during sporting events. Rules, such as 1, 2, 4, 6 and 7, however, are set in place to build stronger security, such as the rule requiring IDs to enter. These rules will be enforced by the school resource officers (SROs) and assistant principals.
“We tried to anticipate the gray areas so we could write our expectations in a consistent way,” assistant principal Casey Edwards said. “Ultimately, safety is our No. 1 priority, and once the new rules are set in, it will feel completely normal.”
Specific rules, such as rule 2, have received backlash from some students. Junior Amy Ngo said that these rules should be altered or removed altogether.
“I think some of the rules, particularly the rule stating students need to be in the stands [during gameplay,] is a little bit limiting,” Ngo said. “It gets very stuffy [in the stands], and while I stand out there, I like going for a walk to get fresh air. I’m just scared it’ll get a little hot out there.”
In response to student opinion, Edwards said the written rules seem more strict than the actual policy. While the written rules may appear out of reach, she said the rules verbally shared over the announcements were more lenient.
“A lot of concerns about the rule stating ‘students must be in the stands during gameplay’ is not what we have been saying verbally,” Edwards said. “Our message has been that you either need to be in the stands, in the bathroom, or in line.”
Though the final football game of the season is this Friday, administrators plan for the rules to continue until further notice. The administration, as well as the SROs, said they prioritize the safety of students and will adjust the rules according to similar rules at other sporting events.
“For [students] to be safe, we all have to follow these rules together,” Lee said. “If you aren’t doing anything, you have nothing to worry about. We do not want to throw people out. We know it’s football [in Texas], we just want people to enjoy the game.
