On the day after spring break, the cafeteria would normally be bursting with student gossip, but due to a new policy, students will have to go elsewhere to chat with friends.

Starting Monday April 2, only the first 30 students will be allowed in the lunchroom in any given lunch period, due to construction. The construction team is remodeling the cafeteria. In order to adhere to fire safety laws, an occupancy quota must be maintained. This policy will be enforced until the end of the year.

So what happens if you are not one of the 30 students?

“Those who do not make it to the cafeteria on time must eat off-campus. Since many students choose this route anyway, we didn’t think this was a huge imposition,” said BHS Principal Robert Hardis.

Of course, freshmen, who aren’t allowed to leave campus, are another matter.

“Freshmen will have their choice of classrooms to eat lunch in,” said Hardis. “It’ll be a great way for students to catch up with their favorite teachers.”

Student reactions are mixed. Some are outraged, like freshman Brenna Rosen. “Lunch is the only time of day I get to talk with my friends,” she said. “I don’t think it’s fair that freshmen are separated from their upperclassman friends and treated like second-class citizens. Now if I want to talk to sophomores, juniors and seniors at lunch, I won’t be able to.”

Though the new policy still allows teachers their lunch breaks, as they will be
supervising during their lunch duties, some teachers are not happy about the policy. “I don’t normally allow students to eat in my room because it attracts ants, and with this new policy, my classroom will become infested with insects,” said one English teacher who wished to remain anonymous.

The teacher is also annoyed at having to spend so much time with students. “At least during lunch duty, they have to get up to ask me questions, discouraging them from talking to me. Now, my lunch duty will become another academy period. These students are going to drive me up a wall!”

At least one science teacher agreed.

“I know sometimes sports and clubs can make going to academy tricky. I feel like this policy will be a great chance for students that can’t make academy to ask me questions.”

Others simply find the policy crazy.

“It’s going to be a race to see who can get to the lunchroom first. This just doesn’t make any sense,” said freshman Alexandria Smith.

Others are pleased with the policy.

“No one wanted to eat with the freshmen anyway,” said sophomore Varun Jambunath. “Now we don’t have to.”

“I don’t really mind much, considering I usually go off-campus for lunch. With this policy, being late to class because you lost track of time off-campus will be more normal, and those who are late won’t face as many penalties. Chipotle Thursday will live on and be stronger.” said Jeremy Ducoff.

Hardis hopes the policy will have the reverse effect, seeing a silver lining to the policy. “I think this will really teach students responsibility. In the real world, you take a lunch break and have to be back on time. You have to remember to bring enough money and to keep track of time. I think this is really preparing kids for the world of work.”

Ultimately, while this new policy may be inconvenient, Hardis reminds us to look at the big picture. “This is just a temporary solution. In the end, we’re just in the business of developing intellectual entrepreneurs with a social conscience. Ensuring every student can one day eat in a state-of-the-art cafeteria exhibits our own social conscience—that we are spending tax dollars in the right direction. If they have trouble eating lunch, that’s really outside of the scope of our responsibilities.”