For countless amount of years now, I can remember kids complaining about lunch. Us students are tired of spending our money on the same lunches we eat week after week. Something definitely has to change, and change doesn’t have to cost Lakeland a ton of money. Change might simply mean letting students choose where they have lunch.

Students should indeed have the permission whether or not they are able to stay or leave the campus for lunch.

First off, students would like more variety. For example, last week during lunch, I saw pizza up there at least two out of the five days. Even though there are other choices in sandwiches and soups, we need more hot lunch choices. Being able to leave campus would give us the opportunity to eat any hot meal of our choosing, from fried chicken at Lucky Seven to a Taylor Ham, egg, and cheese from Carmines.   

Also, we have to consider the kids who for what could be countless reasons can’t bring a lunch from home. If these students don’t like what is being served at lunch, they will have to starve for the whole day.

Additionally, we students work so hard throughout the day, we deserve the chance to take a break, leave the campus, and get something to eat. This can even be used as an incentive to students to work hard in their classes. For instance, only students with a certain grade point average can go out to eat for lunch. 

I asked Principal Matthew Certo why students weren’t allowed to leave campus. He said, “It’s never really been a tradition here at Lakeland…based on where Lakeland is, it wouldn’t really be a good fit for our school.”

It is clear where Certo is coming from because Lakeland has never done this, and based on where Lakeland is located, there are not a lot of good food places to go to without traveling from the school by car. This might limit leaving for lunch to just juniors and seniors. Also, you have to factor kids coming back to school and their safety. All these factors come into play when you think about students leaving for lunch.

Although Certo does make a lot of valid points, I do think that the students should have the choice to leave campus to go get lunch if they want. With all the hard work students put in for their classes and school, we should be allowed to leave for lunch.