Rosemont’s Entrepreneurs Restricted
By: Elliott Deyto
Rosemont middle school provides many opportunities for both students and teachers, including learning, providing jobs for the many excellent teachers and custodians that work in the school, and even student’s earning money and learning how to become an entrepreneur by selling merchandise to other fellow students. Throughout the months of school, beyond the blue gates, many students have started to purchase items from the plaza and sell it to students after school hours, where many people want to quench their thirst with Gatorade or taste a sugary treat like Sourpatch Kids after a long day of school.
It is no secret that among the Rosemont community there is a small community of students purchasing and selling goods to other students outside of school. This may provide an opportunity for students to learn how to run a small ‘business’. Students enjoy strengthening their bonds with each other by talking to each other while making their exchange. This shows the perseverance of the Rosemont merchants to run their business although it is looked down upon by teachers when students exchange goods.
Teachers and other important people in Rosemont dislike when the Rosemont merchants sell merchandise to other students because it has a small risk with great consequences. The reason why many are scared of the food sold at school is because of the rising candy-laced issues that have been continuously ascending. Darius Ustuntas, an 8th grader, says, “I’m fearful of the risks of laced candy during Halloween.” Rosemont Student, Titus Park, says, “Once I learned about the dangers of laced candies, I became more concerned on Halloween.” Many people like Ustuntas and Park are afraid of the risks of trick-or-treating during one of the most festive times of the year, Halloween. It is unknown whenever someone purchases an item from someone if it may be decorated with a tiny drop of fentanyl that can kill you, especially children in middle school who are more vulnerable to harmful drugs. This fear of laced candies restricts students from being able to practice their entrepreneurial skill in peace. This is the main issue that schools have with selling products in school. However, this problem can be easily solved.
The easiest solution here would be to ask students selling items to show the receipt where they bought it from to a teacher or principal. If approved, they may sell their items to students. This solves the problem by showing a trustable source, such as Ralphs, where students originally bought their product so everyone knows it is not from a bad source. Another solution could be an Entrepreneur elective for students who are interested in topics like sales so students can still continue to experiment with what they enjoy learning and practicing. Once this problem is finally fixed students may return to practicing becoming an entrepreneur and teachers, as well as principals, may be at peace, knowing no one is in great risk of danger.
