Parking at Lake Stevens High School has always been a challenge, but this year it’s become an even bigger headache. The school sells a limited number of parking passes for $20, giving students access to the parking lot, but not a guaranteed spot. The system is first-come, first-served, which sounds fair on paper, but in practice, it creates daily frustration and financial pressure for students who don’t have a parking pass.
The real problem begins for those who don’t manage to buy a pass. With very few street parking options nearby, students without passes often have no choice but to risk parking in the school lot. The cost of that risk? A $50 ticket—more than double the price of the parking pass itself.
For many students, this situation feels unfair. Those who can’t afford or didn’t manage to secure a parking pass are left between two bad options: come to school much earlier than necessary in hopes of finding a legal spot, or park without a pass and face an expensive fine.
“I usually get to school around 11:12 AM, and it’s definitely hard to find parking some days,” senior and Running Start student Gavin Eidson said. “I think it’s worth buying a parking pass just for the convenience of parking in the lot even though it doesn’t guarantee you a spot. I support the school selling them because it helps regulate things.”
Eidson’s view reflects one side of the debate. Students who arrive later in the day and still manage to find parking see the pass as a worthwhile investment. But for many others, especially those who start on campus for first period, the situation feels like paying for a privilege that doesn’t always deliver.
The increased fine only adds to the frustration. Raising the fine from a manageable price to a $50 penalty seems less about enforcing rules and more about punishing students who don’t have alternatives. If the school truly wants to encourage fairness, it should either guarantee a spot to every student who buys a pass or make more spaces available near the parking lot.
Until then, our parking lot will continue to be a daily battleground where convenience comes at a cost, and those without a pass are forced to choose between showing up hours early or gambling on a $50 parking ticket
