After school, students sit in desks scribbling down the same sentence in all capital letters until the hour is up. “Justice Under God,” or JUG, is one type of discipline at Trinity. Serving JUG after school may cause students to be late to work, practice or whatever other activity they planned. But how effective is JUG, according to teachers and students?

“JUG is not supposed to be convenient,” said Mr. Joe Henning, Trinity’s co-Director of Students. “But it is also not supposed to be a burden on the parents.”

If the JUG date is inconvenient for parents, a student has an option to reschedule the JUG to the same day it is received. Henning said JUG is effective as a punishment for misbehavior or too many late slips. That is why not many students return to JUG.

Teacher  and Trinity alum Mr. Conor Carroll, a JUG room monitor, agrees with Henning. He said, “Some students may require some more time to mature; that is what JUGs are intended to help with.”

Carroll watches over the students in the JUG room. It’s usually quiet while everyone is working, so the proctor is there to help maintain the quiet and make sure the students are respectful. 

Carroll said, “Trinity holds a big emphasis on forming men of character – JUG helps students to become the best versions of themselves, and just like life, there are consequences for your actions.”

Senior Connor Thomas shares a different thought about JUGs, saying they are “all around ridiculous” and “and an hour’s waste of my time.”

Thomas thinks JUGs can be improved by changing who can administer them to the students. People like substitutes, “who don’t really have a grasp of what needs to be JUGGED,” should not be able to give them, according to Thomas.

“It doesn’t affect me as much as much; however, it affects my job,” Thomas said.

Sophomore Nate Caudill said, “JUG isn’t entirely effective — it’s more effective on serious matters like disrespecting a teacher but not as effective on smaller things like being late to school.”

This point could possibly be one of the driving factors to bring about change to this system of punishment.

Of students receiving multiple JUGS, Caudill said, “There are JUGs that are fairly easy to obtain. Something like taking out your phone or being late to school might warrant some sort of reprimanding. Having one sit and write in a room for an hour wouldn’t fix that.”

As predicted, students and teachers have differing opinions on JUGS.  The intent of the JUG system is to promote accountability for your actions, develop self-control and instill discipline.

Attending Trinity is a privilege, and although it may not please everyone, the JUG system ensures a standard code of conduct which fosters a positive learning environment.