OPINION: No need for longer lunches

PHOTO: Students scramble to leave campus for lunch at the big lot.

By Saebean Yi,

BlueDevilHUB.com Editor–

According to a 2019 brief by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it is recommended that schools “ensure that students have at least 20 minutes once they are seated (seat time) to enjoy their meal and socialize.” Seat time does not account for the time spent waiting in line for lunch or the travel time.

An adequate amount of time for lunch is vital. Studies from the School Nutrition Association state that a “balanced nutrition throughout the day contributes to student success in and out of the classroom.”

At Davis High, lunch is exactly 42 minutes long. This is more than enough time to line up for school lunch and finish it without feeling rushed. It also leaves students with ample time to converse with others and participate in clubs. 

Lunch is also a time to make up tests that students may have missed due to absence. The 42-minute long lunch is just barely shorter than a regular class period, which is around 50 minutes long. In a scenario where a student misses a test on block day, two lunches are of similar length of a block period.

Students must remember making up a test is their responsibility and that they should coordinate with their teacher to work out any conflicts or needed accommodations. Therefore, they should not expect to be allocated any extra time to make up for their lunch.

Some students may argue that lunchtime is too short for them to drive downtown to grab lunch. According to Google Maps, it is a 7-minute drive from DHS to the core of Downtown Davis. With the added time it takes to order food and get back to school, there isn’t as much leisure time.

However, students must realize that an open campus is a privilege, not a right, and by no means necessary. If students are late to class due to eating out, it’s entirely their fault.

Increasing lunch time would also offset the normal schedule and dismissal, and thus would affect certain extracurriculars. The hassle of changing the entire schedule to simply increase an already ample lunchtime is not worth it.