Should Students Have Open Campus Lunch Periods
In many countries around the world, open campus is an activity which is regularly practiced. The children, during times of recess or lunch breaks are allowed to eat lunch anywhere within the campus and outside the campus if they deem to do so. This allows the children the freedom to choose where they want to eat and what they want to eat either at their own homes or at a restaurant. Some countries offer as much as 2 hours of break for lunch such as in Spain and France. Other schools in some 3rd world countries like the Philippines only get two 15-min breaks and an hour for lunch break which makes it hard for children to eat outside because they would be too late for the next class. It becomes even tougher for some schools around the world due to the strict security and presence of teachers.
For the American standard, having open campus lunch breaks have its own benefits and downsides. Like every decision, open campus lunch breaks can offer a lot that would benefit the students and community. However, this also opens the possibility for mischief and school-cutting. In the end, the community must be integrated in creating certain rules and regulations in order to accommodate security issues and reducing bad influences on the kids’ capacity to disobey rules.
On the positive end, having breaks between classes is great, but having breaks off campus is even better. One major positive aspects about open campus lunch breaks is that it affords students the conveniences such as being able to eat a variety of meals during lunchtime. They can break their routine of dining and rather than the predictable cafeteria cuisine, they might as well go grab the opportunity to take a break at home.
On the other end, there are more reasons that might cause people to disagree with allowing high school students the privilege of an open campus. Indeed, it’s great deal if students have the capability to be able to escape school for a while. But sooner or later, this power of freedom can be abused and misused that the supposed time allotted for lunch break is influenced enough that may easily become the rest of the day.
There are more factors to consider in allowing students open campus lunch. unexpected problems such as heavy traffic, city bus delays or cars breaking down can easily arise and may prevent students from returning to school in the fastest manner. In a way, it benefits the students if they would prefer to stay in school during lunch hours in order to avoid tardiness and transportation issues.
Other schools and have innovated and have flexibly adjusted their regulations in order to provide policies that would benefit the students and school alike. They have managed to encourage students to decide properly on their preferences while maintaining the balance of freedom, and the act to be part of a fun environment, which is the school. They have made the school environment as more likeable than that of the outside influences near the campus. This can be achieved by culturally molding the individual and community to be part of a safe and encouraging environment for the children and adults alike.
The power of the students lie not in their capacity to remain as school-cattle but in their freedom to choose what they truly want to be. In the end, it is still up to their decision if they want to neglect education and go and learn more practical and useful knowledge that is now widely and freely available thanks to the internet, and other technological and system advancements. It is up to them where they want to eat and in what kind of environment.
