Classroom food policies have always been topics of debate between staff and the student body. Currently, the classroom policy surrounding student eating in class is at the discretion of each teacher due to the absence of a schoolwide policy on the matter. Although some teachers allow eating in class, many elect
to prohibit students from doing so due to concerns for cleanliness. disruption, and other reasons. I believe that preventing students from eating in class is absurd and that a schoolwide policy that standardizes eating in class is needed.
There are students on campus who aren’t able to eat a proper breakfast in the morning. Due to a variety of circumstances, some are left with no time to eat a sufficient breakfast. Additionally, student-athletes may have to practice in the morning and, therefore, do not have enough time to eat and make it to school on time. When these students attend their morning classes, they should be allowed to eat breakfast
in class. Additionally, many students join clubs or take on leadership roles in clubs. These commitments often require participation in club meetings during lunch and sometimes brunch which takes up the
little time allotted to students for eating during the day.
When these students come into their classes hungry after not eating at brunch or lunch, they should be allowed to eat so they can keep themselves fueled for the rest of the day.
Some students even attempt to eat during brunch or lunch but the length of the school lunch lines makes it impossible for them to get meals at school. If students need to pull out an energy bar or
a box of cereal during class to give themselves something that will keep them going, then I don’t see
anything wrong with it.
Teachers may insist that allowing students to eat in class creates a negative learning and
teaching environment, with regards to cleanliness in the classroom and noise disruptions caused by eating food. I believe that both of these issues could be resolved if teachers assert certain restrictions on
the types of foods students are allowed to eat in class, instead of prohibiting students from eating altogether. If students were told that disruptive foods and large meals were prohibited, then classrooms would remain clean and noise-free.
Students who struggle to find time for eating are currently not allowed to eat in class but are also expected to pay attention to the subject material. If students are too hungry to focus on a lecture or concentrate during a test, then how can they be expected to achieve at a high level? If eating in class is
what students need to succeed, then it is the responsibility of a teacher and a school to support that.