Benefits of closed lunch?

[Anonymous]

Interesting. At our open campus high school (not MCPS), kids come and go all day long. Some leave for vocational programs before lunch or return from them after lunch. Many take dual enrollment classes at local colleges and are only at the HS for a period or two (contiguous or not). Or they take all their classes at the college but come to the HS for lunch clubs or to see a counselor or play a sport.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think this is really about whether teenagers “deserve freedom.” It’s more about equity, safety, and school operations.

A closed lunch works at many high schools across the country, including very large schools. Schools still manage clubs, tutoring, makeup tests, rehearsals, and social spaces by staggering lunches and using classrooms, libraries, courtyards, and other areas; not just the cafeteria.

Open lunch also creates equity issues. Students with cars, money, and nearby food options have a very different experience from students who don’t. It can unintentionally highlight socioeconomic differences during the school day.

There are also real safety and supervision concerns with hundreds of students driving around or leaving campus daily: traffic accidents, truancy, vaping/substance use off campus, and difficulty accounting for students during emergencies.

And the “cafeterias are too small” argument doesn’t fully hold up because schools with 3,000 students already operate with multiple lunch waves and students spread across different spaces.

I understand why some families like open lunch, especially for older students, but schools absolutely can support clubs, test makeups, and student independence without requiring students to leave campus during the school day.

This has been discussed since at least 1999:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1999/10/16/many-schools-closing-campus-during-lunch/6ff1366d-19d2-415c-a2c6-be27177ad585/

You can’t cry about how much MCPS spends on litigation and then argue for letting thousands of teenagers roam the streets for an hour a day.

+1

The white liberal moms gnashing their teeth because they don't get to keep things the way they were can't handle having their bubble burst.

Get over it. Closed lunch is the norm in most the of the country and the world.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why can't schools bring food trucks?

We get food trucks on Fridays at work. They usually take much longer to serve everyone than seems worth the timing. There’s no way a food truck or two could serve a mass amount of kids during a one hour lunch.

[Anonymous]

I think this should be up to each principal. My kids are at a closed lunch school. There is no place walkable for anyone to go to during lunch, the student population isn't that large, and closed works just fine. The benefit is kids aren't walking down a one lane road with no sidewalk 2 miles to the nearest places to eat.

[Anonymous]

As a WJ parent, I’d like campus to remain open. However, I could support banning *driving* at lunch. Of course kids could park off campus to skirt it but it might reduce the driving. I agree with those safety concerns. And there is plenty to walk to. No one needs to drive to the Montgomery Mall for lunch (and it’s technically already against the rules). It wouldn’t be that hard to control the parking lots.

[Anonymous]

I am curious what food do normally kids go out to get lunch during open lunch, fast food? Is it worth it to drive or walk back/forth?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think this is really about whether teenagers “deserve freedom.” It’s more about equity, safety, and school operations.

A closed lunch works at many high schools across the country, including very large schools. Schools still manage clubs, tutoring, makeup tests, rehearsals, and social spaces by staggering lunches and using classrooms, libraries, courtyards, and other areas; not just the cafeteria.

Open lunch also creates equity issues. Students with cars, money, and nearby food options have a very different experience from students who don’t. It can unintentionally highlight socioeconomic differences during the school day.

There are also real safety and supervision concerns with hundreds of students driving around or leaving campus daily: traffic accidents, truancy, vaping/substance use off campus, and difficulty accounting for students during emergencies.

And the “cafeterias are too small” argument doesn’t fully hold up because schools with 3,000 students already operate with multiple lunch waves and students spread across different spaces.

I understand why some families like open lunch, especially for older students, but schools absolutely can support clubs, test makeups, and student independence without requiring students to leave campus during the school day.

This has been discussed since at least 1999:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1999/10/16/many-schools-closing-campus-during-lunch/6ff1366d-19d2-415c-a2c6-be27177ad585/

You can’t cry about how much MCPS spends on litigation and then argue for letting thousands of teenagers roam the streets for an hour a day.

+1

The white liberal moms gnashing their teeth because they don't get to keep things the way they were can't handle having their bubble burst.

Get over it. Closed lunch is the norm in most the of the country and the world.

Board member Yang is not white in case you didn't know. The issues many have with this:
-why the sudden topic and vote?
-why is a superintendent deciding on a policy for ALL high schools?
-why the distraction from budget fallout & possible cuts?
-what is NOT being shared with families and staff?
-other changes?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am curious what food do normally kids go out to get lunch during open lunch, fast food? Is it worth it to drive or walk back/forth?

Not all students who go off campus purchase food. Students have expressed they enjoy the "freedom" of being able to be off campus for a walk, hang out with friends who are buying food outside and with those who are not buying food outside. Going off campus may not work for all the high schools such as the ones who mentioned students have to walk on a two lane road with no sidewalks to get lunch. The lunch period is not typically long enough to go far: Giant, Wildwood, Subway, Chipotle, cafes, bakeries, Starbucks, McDonalds

[Anonymous]

Parents don't know what middle school lunch space is like. Chaos. Yelling. The middle schools try their best to keep it orderly. But. Students welcome the change to choose where they can eat in high school. Whether it's a classroom, a hallway, outside on school grounds, or off campus. If an explanation came with the rush to change the policy, perhaps more stakeholders could understand and make a more informed opinion.

[Anonymous]

Has anyone addressed security? Are the student IDs of students who go off campus for lunch and reenter for class being checked at the front doors? By whom? Are there enough adults at the doors checking IDs? Do they scan the school student ID, or are kids holding up their Youth Cruiser bus cards or a Chipotle gift card? Are cuts being made to security guard positions? Speak up, Taylor

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am curious what food do normally kids go out to get lunch during open lunch, fast food? Is it worth it to drive or walk back/forth?

Not all students who go off campus purchase food. Students have expressed they enjoy the "freedom" of being able to be off campus for a walk, hang out with friends who are buying food outside and with those who are not buying food outside. Going off campus may not work for all the high schools such as the ones who mentioned students have to walk on a two lane road with no sidewalks to get lunch. The lunch period is not typically long enough to go far: Giant, Wildwood, Subway, Chipotle, cafes, bakeries, Starbucks, McDonalds

Crossing a large intersection

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone addressed security? Are the student IDs of students who go off campus for lunch and reenter for class being checked at the front doors? By whom? Are there enough adults at the doors checking IDs? Do they scan the school student ID, or are kids holding up their Youth Cruiser bus cards or a Chipotle gift card? Are cuts being made to security guard positions? Speak up, Taylor

My school that has closed lunch requires all the kids who violate the policy and leave to scan their IDs and sign in when they return. This is of course provided they haven't texted someone to let them in a side entrance. Either way, there are zero actual consequences to leaving school and coming back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think this is really about whether teenagers “deserve freedom.” It’s more about equity, safety, and school operations.

A closed lunch works at many high schools across the country, including very large schools. Schools still manage clubs, tutoring, makeup tests, rehearsals, and social spaces by staggering lunches and using classrooms, libraries, courtyards, and other areas; not just the cafeteria.

Open lunch also creates equity issues. Students with cars, money, and nearby food options have a very different experience from students who don’t. It can unintentionally highlight socioeconomic differences during the school day.

There are also real safety and supervision concerns with hundreds of students driving around or leaving campus daily: traffic accidents, truancy, vaping/substance use off campus, and difficulty accounting for students during emergencies.

And the “cafeterias are too small” argument doesn’t fully hold up because schools with 3,000 students already operate with multiple lunch waves and students spread across different spaces.

I understand why some families like open lunch, especially for older students, but schools absolutely can support clubs, test makeups, and student independence without requiring students to leave campus during the school day.

This has been discussed since at least 1999:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1999/10/16/many-schools-closing-campus-during-lunch/6ff1366d-19d2-415c-a2c6-be27177ad585/

You can’t cry about how much MCPS spends on litigation and then argue for letting thousands of teenagers roam the streets for an hour a day.

+1

The white liberal moms gnashing their teeth because they don't get to keep things the way they were can't handle having their bubble burst.

Get over it. Closed lunch is the norm in most the of the country and the world.

I have a BCC graduate and a current BCC junior. Why should they be penalized because something that happened at Whitman? My kids are not privileged and mostly have stayed on campus to play sports, do makeup tests or attend club meetings. But they also occasionally run to local businesses to grab lunch. Open campus for schools that can support it are not a risk or a community problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Interesting. At our open campus high school (not MCPS), kids come and go all day long. Some leave for vocational programs before lunch or return from them after lunch. Many take dual enrollment classes at local colleges and are only at the HS for a period or two (contiguous or not). Or they take all their classes at the college but come to the HS for lunch clubs or to see a counselor or play a sport.

Not the discussion at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Short list of benefits (in no particular order and yes, I know the first one is going to create lots of conversation all of which is important but not really the topic at hand for this question):
1. Less "outside access"--meaning if kids were deemed to be safe/without weapons/drugs upon entry to school, there is no way that these things are making there way in mid day.
2. Eliminates some social pressures--to have money to buy lunch, stay off campus with friends later than you're supposed to.
3.Easier access to make up work without having to feel like you're "missing something"
4. Related to the above--truancy/attendance issues
5. Car/pedestrian safety (do we really want our kids interfacing with traffic and cars more than necessary, particularly when they may be distracted in groups or rushing?

I'm sure there are more but these are just a few that come to mind.

+1 on #5 as someone who works and drives right around BCC and sees the teens walking around.