The After Lunch Munch: Classroom Food Rule Policy’s

Redwood High School Teachers give their opinions on their classroom food-rule policies during their 5th-period class after lunch, and whether letting their students eat during their class after lunch is a distraction or a necessity.

By: Brisa Magana

Teachers on campus have mixed feelings and policy rules about students eating in their classrooms. They all have their reasons and whys.

Redwood High School English Teacher, Mrs. Nicole Vieira, says, “I generally allow students to eat during class as long as it doesn’t become a distraction. I don’t love allowing students to eat, but given the confines of our lunch period, I’d rather students be fed than be hungry. I don’t think hungry students learn as well.”

Teachers are also strict due to the subjects they teach and the environments of their classrooms. Redwood High School Biology Teacher, Mrs. Mary Laufer, says, “I allow the few students who bring in food to eat depending on what we are doing, but rarely.”

Many students from 10th-12th grade are able to go off campus for lunch, and sometimes don’t manage their time wisely or plan ahead of the 36 minutes they get and end up getting back late.

Laufer says, “5th period is not an extension of lunch. Kids who have the luxury of leaving campus don’t always make the best decisions time-wise and are frequently tardy to 5th. Allowing them to eat in 5th encourages that behavior because they are determined to get the food they want, even if it’s as far away as Costco.”

Students can leave a mess behind, which affects the teacher’s classroom and makes their room policies change or become more strict.

Laufer says, “I am strict about students cleaning up after themselves, and they are generally conscientious regarding proper disposal of the containers, etc.”

Students are also capable of being clean and picking up after themselves, and respecting their environment, and leaving the class clean after they finish eating.

Vieira says, “If students don’t clean up after themselves, I won’t allow students to continue eating in my room. Because this is my policy, students never leave trash behind. I feel students are pretty good at policing themselves and don’t let their lunch become a distraction.”

Students can make it to an extent and possibly make distractions while eating and making noise, creating interruptions, and the smell of their food can also distract others from learning. Laufer says, “I tell them to put their food away, and if they do not [which is rare], I tell them they can get it from me at the end of class.”

Most of the time, when students eat in their classrooms, it makes the teacher feel some type of way. Vieria says, “It really just depends on what they’re eating.”

While Laufer dislikes kids eating in her class and implies that off-campus during lunch is a privilege, but abused by many, “Some teachers freely let students use cell phones, eat, and other behaviors in class, and other teachers do not do so. Some students resent teachers who don’t let them do what they want, and it gets tiring as a mature teacher to waste time on kids eating in class.”

Many teachers see allowing students to eat during 5th period after lunch a promotion of a more relaxed and comfortable environment, v.s Teachers also thinking it encourages distractions, shows how students are unmanageable of time, and see change of behavior has different thoughts about it.

Vieira says, “I know some teachers have other policies, and I understand that and their reasons for why they may not allow food in their room. I don’t think there’s a right answer, and I think plenty of teachers don’t allow food and still cultivate comfortable and relaxing student environments.”

Overall, teachers at Redwood High School have classroom policies that should be respected, while they have their reasons and whys, but besides their policies, they also care about students’ learning time and education, trying to minimize distractions and pay attention during their 55 minutes with them every day.

There are great solutions and opinions on how Rangers can prevent being late to 5th period after lunch, so eating in class can be prevented. Vieira says, “I think students also need to take accountability and plan for the time they have.”

Vieira adds, “[I] do think it’s important for students to see and understand why teachers have the policies they do, rather than always expecting accommodations to be made for them. 35 minutes isn’t long, but plenty of students go get lunch and eat it within that time frame without expecting a teacher to allow them to eat their lunch in their class period while they’re trying to teach.”

The suggestion of eating cafeteria food is also an option, or getting your food delivered to school is a good idea to make sure classroom policies are respected, and students aren’t late.

Laufer says, “There are schools that do not have access to restaurants, etc., or do not allow their students off campus for lunch for safety and other reasons. Those students survive just fine, and they, or their parents save a lot of money not spent on eating out.”

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