While students are supposed to be stopped by Safety officers for being in the halls without a pass, many are stopped simply based on gender or race.

Many students manage to slip by security without a hall pass. Most of us realize that this is because they don’t fit a certain profile. If you are white girl, you probably won’t get stopped. This is not the same for black males.

Race is a delicate issue. While no one may want to come right out and say it, race plays into our everyday actions, consciously or subconsciously. This holds true for Safety officers. We students certainly feel this way.

Director of Safety Sam Pettineo vehemently insists that Safety staff do not target anyone, and that not everyone can possibly be stopped in hallways. He argues that students are stopped based on their behavior alone.

Safety does a fantastic job of breaking up altercations and stopping wrongful behavior, and they should not be criticized for their work overall. They work hard and should be treated with respect.

This issue is not so black and white. However, if the rule is that every student without a hall pass will be stopped, then this should be more heavily enforced. It is only fair that we as a student body follow the rules to avoid discrepancies.