As a Lamphere student, I believe we should be allowed to leave school for lunch. Here’s why this would benefit everyone and how we can make it work safely: School lunch can be unpleasant for picky eaters, and many students don’t have time to pack lunch before school or the night before. According to the article How Does Hunger Affect Learning?, “75% of educators work with students who regularly come to school hungry, making childhood hunger one of the most pressing issues in schools today.” When students are hungry, they can’t focus on learning properly. Schools should allow students to leave campus to get quick food as long as they return at the designated time. This would reduce hunger at school and help students focus better on their studies.

Safety is our number one priority, so here’s how we can make this work:

• Students must sign up and get a signature from the front desk to leave for lunch
• The pass will include the date, time, and destination
• Students must use this pass to re-enter the building
• Late returns will result in penalties
• Students get exactly 30 minutes outside the building

Lunch shouldn’t feel stressful – it should be time to unwind and take a break from schoolwork. Leaving the school environment would lower stress levels significantly and give students the mental break they need.