By: Kate Bevis
Off campus lunch has traditionally been a controversial subject. Many students believe off campus lunch should be permitted at school, but many teacher, administrators and parents differ with student opinions. In questioning some of our students, and most of their answers were alike. Most students dislike the campus lunch policy. Stacey Lee states, “I, being an advocate of a healthy and nutritious diet would love the idea of having the choice to go off campus to receive a decent meal.” Many students complain about the variety of food at our school.
Ethnic food is also and issue. As you may know, our school is one of the most diverse in San Diego. Students should have an opportunity to eat food from their own culture if they choose to. School food should also be healthier. Joe Bevis says, “A majority of food on campus is fattening and expensive, I wouldn’t want it to just be all vegetables and fruits, but somewhere in between.”
One complication concerning a policy change is the student’s maturity level. If off campus lunch was reinstated, it could cause intolerable changes with out student’s behavior, due to the added responsibility of leaving campus during school hours. One Madison teacher, Mr. Anderson, stated that many school including Clairemont High School have had raised truancy rates because of off campus lunch policies. He also pointed out that many community complaints were recorded near the school neighborhood, due to loitering.
Another concern is about student safety. But, how would the school be responsible? Many students suggest a compromise; administrators could send out a permission slip to all students parents, who agree with the off campus lunch. Other students suggest that only students with a G.P.A. of 2.0 or higher be allowed to leave. Another possible solution would be to only allow junior and seniors to leave during lunch, a so-called seniority privilege. Students should have the privilege to leave campus for lunch until proven they cannot handle it.
In closing, some facts for thought; at age 17 a student can join the military, but cannot leave campus during lunch. At age 18, students have the right to vote, but still cannot leave campus during lunch. What kind of system is this?
