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"Lunch period is a closed period which means that students cannot leave the school premises. Once a student arrives on school property they may not leave the campus grounds without a permit signed by an administrator or school nurse," (the Simley High School Student Handbook.).
According to a survey given to Smiley High School students, 98% of the students surveyed think we should be able to leave for open lunch. " It would be nice to go somewhere else and get a different variety of foods," one student responded. Only 2% of the students surveyed think we should not have an open lunch. " It would be so hectic in the parking lot for kids to leave, and by the time you got somewhere, there would be no time to eat." .
With open lunch, the option of either eating at a fast food restaurant or at home opens up to students. Sixty-six percent of the students surveyed thought that they would eat at home. " So many people would go to the fast food restaurants that they would be too crowded for my pleasure," one student responded. The other 34% of the students surveyed thought that they would prefer to eat at a fast food restaurant. " Fast food is closer," was a common response among students.
A very controversial topic in dealing with open lunch is whether or not to give each grade the privilege to leave or to only allow the upperclassman to leave. The results show that 95% of the students surveyed do not think all grades should have the opportunity to leave for lunch. " Just Juniors and Seniors should be able to leave, it should be a privilege everyone gets to have once they are upperclassman, then students would appreciate and respect it more than if they were underclassman, responded one student. The remaining 5% of the students surveyed supported all grades being allowed to leave for open lunch. " It's only fair for everyone and it would decrease the conflict between upper and lower classman.