After three years of closed campus, students seem to have adjusted to an on-campus lunch period.
Even though there has never been good feedback about the lunch menus, lines, and times, is this year really all that bad?
Closed campus was introduced in 2006 when administrators observed students coming back to school tardy, under the influence of drugs, or not coming back at all. Keeping the students safe and in class was and still remains the main goal of Pueblo City Schools. Since the closing of the lunch periods, upperclassmen students argue that they deserve the right to be treated like adults, understandingly that a vast majority of the upperclassmen will are or will be 18 before the school year is over; as well as a majority demonstrate good grades, attendance, and behavior. Nonetheless, open campus, from the words of Dr. Covington himself, will most likely never be re-opened again.
However, teachers and students alike don’t have much to complain about this year’s lunch periods, with the exception to the menu. Students are allowed anywhere on campus during lunch, excluding the 4th and 5th floor. Also, the library has been re-opened for lunch students to take advantage of. Admittingly, Olivia Lopez, a freshman, says there are only few things she dislikes about lunches this year.
“I don’t like how we are rushed to eat our food! It takes about 10-15 minutes in the line, and by the time we sit down, we have to eat quickly or else we’re late to class,” said Lopez. “Also, I’m disappointed in the menu. It’s not really that it tastes that bad, just that it’s the same thing over and over. I think all the students get worn out and it makes them not want to eat it.”
The menu, undoubtingly, has changed in the last three and a half years. In 2005, when our current seniors were freshman, fries were still on the menu. However, the health department has taken away the fryers to make potatoes in general, thus explaining why potato wedges have also disappeared from the lunches as well. The unanswered questions arise as to why District 70, also under supervision of the Health Department, has the different types of fries.
“Here at County, we have three different types of fries, a lot of candy, as well as smoothies available everyday,” said a former Central student, Kalani Porter, who now attends County High School. “Although I was forced to come here, I have to admit, lunches are definitely better than I’ve ever seen at Central.”
According to Linda Gallegos, Head Cafeteria Employee, the Health Department has changed lunch menus with very little intake on what our cafeteria staff wanted. However, she is open to all students suggestions.
“There are reasons for the menus, we don’t choose them,” said Gallegos. “We serve about 400 students a day, and about 100 on Fridays. The numbers show that students are not satisfied with what is offered. We are willing to try and change it if it is what the students want to see. If there are suggestions, by all means please come talk to us. We want to know what the students want.”
Despite the lunch menus, the privileges have gone up from last year. According to Fred Trujillo, Central’s Principal, he thinks lunches this year aren’t bad.
“There are more students eating this year than last year,” said Trujillo. “However, we’re still working on things that can be better for next year.”