Sidwell’s point system was created to ensure that students’ behavior remained consistently aligned with the school’s Quaker values. In order to effectively regulate student conduct, the system assigns points as penalties for rules broken or values unabided. Students who receive eight points are subject to a Loss of Privileges (LOP), a detention-style consequence aimed at dissuading students from accumulating these infractions. After three LOPs, students are required to testify in front of an Honor Committee of their peers, which can lead to more extreme outcomes, including suspensions or days of reflection. The number of points is proportional to the severity of the infraction, from one point for arriving late to an automatic LOP for absence during Meeting for Worship. This system often prompts disproportionate consequences for students and risks unfairly ignoring extenuating circumstances that may have caused infractions.

Though more minor violations result in fewer points, these smaller incidents can add up quickly, eventually resulting in a LOP. The inclusion of minor infractions in the point system is problematic as it can lead it to an outsized punishment and does not contextualize misconduct within the complexities of students’ lives. For example, among the most common and most problematic of these smaller infractions is arrival time in the mornings. Assigning points for coming late to first period fails to take into account the challenges of drop-off times for parents and guardians. Even if students attempt to leave home earlier on the way to school, traffic often varies arbitrarily and can be exacerbated by external factors like road closures or inclement weather. Consistent arrival time is especially challenging for students who live farther away from Sidwell, as there can often be worse traffic on routes into the city during the morning commuter rush. Congestion in the Upper School garage is also an ongoing daily issue, especially with students’ limited parking spaces and parents struggling to navigate the drop-off system. The point system thus incorrectly conflates intention with action. 

During the freshman Ninth Grade Studies seminar, students are required to read Bryan Stevenson’s “Just Mercy” over the summer. Throughout the ninth grade year, students engage in thorough conversations and are asked to explore the complexities and nuances of social justice in our current world. The lesson of the book, encouraged by the school, is that people are complex, and crimes committed are often more nuanced than they appear. 

The premise of the points system is to provide a means of regulating students’ behavior within the school. Sidwell asks its students to question the complexities of justice and equity, while being stewards in their communities and maintaining respect towards their peers. Sidwell’s point system fails to consider the nuanced external factors that may be at play behind students’ actions.