In Bethpage High School, we have four lunch periods: 

• 4th (9:56 am to 10:38 am)
• 5th (10:24 am to 11:24 am)
• 6th (11:28 am to 12:10 pm)
• 7th (12:14 pm to 12:56 pm)

Our first period starts at 7:30 am. Our school day ends and 2:30 pm.

For students, it’s about four hours (from the end of school for 4th and 5th period; from the start of school for 6th and 7th) till they can eat lunch. Not to mention clubs, sports, and for some jobs, which can add time going by without eating anything. There aren’t many students who can’t go four or more hours without eating, especially if you skip breakfast. However, there is a very simple solution to this problem—and no, it does not involve altering the lunch periods. 

Letting students eat during class.

Now, obviously there are should be some restrictions to this: eating quietly so you don’t disturb students trying to learn, be mindful of [airborne] allergens, clean after yourself when your done, you get the deal. All of those sound pretty reasonable, right? 

So why would teachers not allow students to eat during class time?

Computer teacher and robotics director Mr. LaSpina claims, “[My classes are] in a computer lab, it’s not sanitary…We want to assume everyone is…clean, and that assumption is proved wrong repeatedly by kids that leave a mess on and around their keyboards”.

English teacher Ms. Baichan, however, does let students eat in her class. ”I just think if you’re hungry you’re hungry and you shouldn’t be told no you can’t eat in class…I know that some students don’t even get an opportunity to eat lunch, that they have lunch every other day, how could I say no to eating in  class if they don’t even have that opportunity to [eat lunch in school]?”

So what do you think, should kids be allowed to eat during their classes, or are they too irresponsible to do so? Leave a comment!