There are a plethora of restaurants surrounding McClatchy. We have Oscar’s, Quickly, Sugars and Sweets, Mcdonald’s, Round Table, Subway, Freeport Bakery, Taylor’s, and only a little further away: Big Spoon, Sandwich Spot, and Chipotle. The list goes on and on. So much so, that it seems silly to keep students at school for lunch. However, there are benefits to keeping kids on campus.
Mr. Lambert explains that a closed campus means, “Students are not allowed to leave for lunch and during the day. Once they leave their day is ended. You don’t get to come and go on and off campus.” Basically, students are not allowed to leave school grounds from the time they arrive in the morning until school is over, unless they have parental permission. “You are expected to be here and in attendance for the duration of the day.” For things such as dentist or doctor appointments, work programs, or class at the city college, permission needs to be granted to the students.
“It also means visitors cannot just come on and off campus,” Mr. Lambert adds. People cannot use the campus throughout the day while school is in session. “So it works both ways.” Having a closed campus is really for safety reasons. With an open campus it would be much easier for anyone to come to McClatchy and do whatever they feel like. And that is a scary thought.
Safety is the school’s number one concern for its students. The school is responsible for the students. This means if we get lost or hurt it is the school’s responsibility. Or if we hurt something or someone it is the school’s responsibility. They need to be aware of where students are so if parents call they can assure them that their child is safe.
But look out of any of the windows in the front of the school, and you’ll see Oscar’s. And you’ll see escaped students with their burritos and their drinks. And you’ll shed a single tear for the burrito you could be enjoying, but unfortunately are not.
A funny thing is that Mr. Lambert’s graduating class was the last in his North Carolina school to be allowed to leave campus for lunch. Though off campus lunch restrictions are not Mr. Lambert’s doing, this brings up a question: all the adults keeping us at school during our lunch period were able to leave during their own lunch, why can’t we?