Both Sides of Blake: Going out during lunch?

Safety Before Food

Students at Blake High School are unable to leave campus in their cars because the Blake staff have prohibited them from doing so. This is a good idea because it cuts down on students skipping class and keeps the students contained in the building. This is a good way to implement order at school and a better way to keep students safe during school hours.

Students cannot and should not leave school during lunch because the school is liable for students when they are gone. The school could risk getting sued by parents because students are supposed to be at school at all times, including lunch, and they are not doing so. But students can easily work around this by ordering lunch online on websites such as Doordash, Uber Eats, etc. They could still enjoy the same experience on the school’s premises without having to leave to go to a fast food restaurant.

These safety measures are valid because last year, non-Blake students allegedly snuck onto Blake’s school premises and walked around the school building looking for students to start altercations. This rule of students not being able to leave the school building during lunch could help prevent these serious events from occurring this school year. 

Also with these rules, students can save gas money because they won’t be leaving the school grounds during the day – instead they’ll just be at school to order lunch from Doordash, Uber Eats, or the like. 

While it’s fun to leave the school premises to get lunch and hang out with friends, or take a brain break during the day, it is safer for students to stay inside of the building. The school can implement a measure for students to get a brain break inside of the building, like nap time. 

LET US OUT!!!!

With the new school year, Blake’s administrative team has made it a greater priority to limit student traffic outside the school during lunch. While they have allowed students to order lunch from restaurants or Doordash, they have also been increasingly strict about students leaving school during lunch. Mr. Edwards or another administrator patrols the student parking lot, stops students on their way out, and interrogates them about where they are going and whether or not they have a half day schedule. This new policy limits the students’ freedom, undermines student responsibility and maturity, and wastes time that administration could focus elsewhere.

First off, this new school policy limits the students’ freedom to eat the foods they want. Not every student loves to eat the school lunches, so many of them go out with their friends for a more enjoyable dining experience. Additionally, when students eat lunch out it can relieve stress. Studies show that people are less worked up when taking a break from a potential stressor, such as school. By prohibiting students from leaving during lunch, the administrators are ignoring students’ mental health and keeping them trapped within the school grounds. They are supposed to encourage students’ well-being, but are becoming more strict and controlling through this new policy.

Similarly, if a student decides to leave, it is their decision. Thus, their decision, as well as their car, food, and passengers, are their responsibility. With administrators in the way, they are demonstrating a clear mistrust of student responsibility — one of the very values they want kids to learn in school in the first place. Letting students go out for lunch of their own accords builds character and teaches kids first-hand to take ownership of their actions as well as the resulting consequences.

Additionally, having one administrator supervise the student parking lot for the entire duration of lunch is one hour and one administrator not being used to solve other issues such as fights, drug use, or even students’ personal concerns. In fact, one of my friends was caught leaving lunch by an assistant principal, and was given in-school suspension. While escorting my friend inside, the administrator turned a blind eye to the kids skipping class, gambling on dice. It makes no sense to punish students for minor infractions like that when there are clearly more obvious, illegal activities happening at the same time.

Some people believe the school’s action is actually in the best interests of the students. Administrators truly care about the students and want them to be safe inside and outside the building, especially since high schoolers are not known to be the best of decision makers. On top of that, they want to keep helpful control of the 1700 students, especially when we had random kids who weren’t Blake students last year coming into the building. However, the school is quick to assume that all students are not careful or will get into trouble; students are not even given the benefit of the doubt, allowing them to make their own decisions during lunchtime. Plus, with students smoking, vaping, fighting, and getting involved in other issues, the administrators have bigger problems to deal with. In order to keep order and safety while also keeping students’ freedom, another policy the school should consider is letting students go out to lunch. However, they must prove that they are responsible (maintaining a good GPA, not having unexcused absences/tardies, etc.) before they go out to enjoy a lunch with friends.