OPINION: Students should be allowed to eat lunch in their cars

By Christine Kim,
BlueDevilHUB.com Staff–

Students want a safe, clean and comfortable place where they can enjoy their lunch with their peers or by themselves, but Davis High’s lack of lunch tables and seating areas makes it tougher for students to find such a place.

Many jump to the conclusion that their car is the ideal place to spend lunch, where they can customize functions to fit their needs and personal interests. However, DHS students are not allowed to be in their car during school hours. Administrators are always present at the parking lot to make sure students are never sitting in their vehicle.

Many students, such as junior Ixchel Lopez, believe the policy is misguided.

“The campus would be less crowded because people would be eating in their cars,” Lopez said.

Although limited seating at tables is a current issue, it would not be a difficulty for students with cars. Vehicles offer an exclusive and reliable seating area for students. Spending lunchtime in one’s car can serve as a comfortable place, sheltered and away from school where one can eat and listen to music with friends or just spend time alone.

“The guy in the golf cart always tells me to get out of my car even though I’m just chilling and really not doing anything,” Lopez said.

Administrators have said that students are not allowed to remain in their cars due to safety issues, but they don’t offer justification when kicking students out of their cars. However, it is unreasonable for administrators to require students to immediately vacate their car, especially with the new bell schedule and open campus policy.

Many students with no sixth period usually leave campus towards the beginning of lunch and might take a while to gather their belongings.

Administrators should be more lenient on students leaving school, as they don’t pose any safety hazards since they are not planning to return to campus.

One day, senior Samantha Kurtz grabbed a coffee with one of her friends and was waiting on other people in the parking lot with the car doors open, drinking coffee.

“It was after fifth period on a Thursday and a woman asked us to get out even though we were doing nothing wrong,” Kurtz said.

This rule is more of a nuisance than a huge problem, but students want more freedom to choose where they want to spend their lunch time and refrain from following a rule that no one fully understands or really follows.