By Nayeli Esqueda
October 17, 2016 

Mr. Juarez and Mrs. Brody

Throughout the many years at Phoenix High School students have been allowed to go off campus during lunch hours. This gives the students a privilege to get food somewhere else instead of the food that is provided here. During the past years, staff members have had meetings, and a subject that has been brought up so many times was the idea of removing off campus lunch.

Our school has 700+ students, and a majority of them go off campus for lunch. Either by walking, driving, or catching a ride from a friend. Our school is one out of a few that allow their students to leave off campus for lunch. “Off campus lunch is a good way for us to let you guys show how responsible you guys are when you are given a lot of responsibility,” as Fernando Juarez also know as Jay who is the school’s student manager, explains how he sees off campus lunch as an impact to the students of Phoenix High. There are many factors that can cause our school to restrict or end off campus lunch. One of the strongest causes that can cause the removal of off campus lunch is the amount of students that show up late to the class after lunch. An additional aspect that can increase the removal of off campus lunch is the student’s behavior towards the community and the businesses.

Showing up late or tardy to class can cause the school to restrict off campus lunch or even remove it. Mr. Akil proceeds by saying “Monday is normally the day when most late and tardy students appear.” On Monday October 3rd there were 7.5% of students late to 2nd period, and 3.2% of students were either late or tardy to 4th period. As Ms. Brody puts it “you have enough time to go off campus to many different places to get lunch and be back on time for 5th period.”

Another element that can cause the restriction or the removal of off campus lunch can be the student’s behavior towards the community and the businesses around the school. While heading to lunch students should act as adults and respect the people that live near the campus, and if the students head to stores such as Rays and Circle K they should follow the rules and regulations that those stores have. If these rules are broken stores have the right to shut their doors towards the students of Phoenix High School. This can also cause the removal of off-campus  lunch.

So fellow classmates in order to keep this privilege for not only the current students, but also for future students that will be attending PHS, we must put our act together. Let’s prove that we deserve the privilege of having off campus lunch an option for the many students that don’t want to have the food that the school provides to us.