With the spike of COVID-19 cases, the lunchroom is thought to be the hotspot at school for the transmission of the virus, where students and teachers sit close together unmasked. Students, even juniors and sophomores, have resorted to getting food off-campus out of the fear of getting COVID-19 and because, as junior London Shiely ‘23 puts it, “Lunch sucks, and I want Five Guys instead.”
However, only seniors are allowed to leave the campus and come back. In order to not get caught, many juniors and sophomores do not sign out when they leave. According to security guard Rio Hanson, part of protecting students is “accounting where [students] are during the school day.” Therefore, if the policy changed so that if anyone “signs out, they are free to go,” Hanson thinks there would be “less problems.” Additionally, Hanson added that it is “easiest to distance outside.”
Similarly, science teacher Janet Williams believes that “getting [students] away from [school] is a good idea.” However, she recognizes that “when [we] are away, [the school has] no control of what [we] are doing.” Senior T.C. Doran ‘22 claims this is a typical example of how “Blake is super controlling.” Furthermore, senior Jason Gelb ‘22 argues that “students should be responsible for their own actions.” Therefore, based on these reasons, it would make sense that juniors have off-campus privileges.
Hanson is “not entirely sure why it’s only 12th grade that can leave. If there is a reason, it was decided above security.” Junior dean Mike Canfield maintains that only seniors are “ready for this increased responsibility and privilege.” Despite this belief, Canfield is open to change. He says, “As we move forward we will certainly consider how off-campus privileges fit into our overall attendance policy, and determine what they will look like in the context of the entire school day.” While the rule stands that only seniors can go off-campus, some students and staff believe that non-seniors should be able to leave.
Rio Hanson • Feb 4, 2022 at 9:03 pm
I strongly believe the system would work, make everyone happy if 10, 11, and 12 graders are allowed to off campus lunch. The student body is satisfied with the freedom, security is satisfied with cooperation in signing in and out. We, as security and the faculty, are responsible for every student soul during the school day. We are only asking your time out is accounted for, and I support that system.