Should the Lawrence high schools close their campuses during lunch? / LJWorld.com

Asked at Hy-Vee, 3504 W. Clinton Parkway on August 28, 2010

“I think it’s a pretty good idea. … I think it would help the kids maintain their schedule and stay in the mood for school.”

— Larry Redding, certified advanced rolfer, Lawrence

“No way because kids need that freedom, they need the option, they need choices.”

— Laura Green, event host, Lawrence

“Yes, I believe that they probably should so we don’t have as many students driving on the streets during lunch hour when working people are out and about.”

— Amber Blackmore, adviser, Lawrence

“Yes, I believe they should. I think the kids will be distracted leaving campus and some of them won’t come back.”

— Thomas Sims, letter carrier, Leavenworth

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Yesterday I was driving by LHS and was amazed by all the kids who were out smoking during lunchtime. Just a couple of blocks away from the school, they were all enjoying the benefits of the open lunch policy.

I'm sure FSHS has the same activity go on with its students.

Not all of them were smoking, but it seems pretty clear that the open lunch policy doesn't exactly help curb teen smoking.

Not that the district cares, of course. All they want is to spend all your tax money on athletics.

sniff16 2 years, 7 months ago

You really hate this district but you just seem like a terrible person. I hope your children go to school in USD497 and that they love it. Also LHS just isn't very good. You look at only one side you don't look at the other side. You are just an awful person and too judgemental

labmonkey 2 years, 8 months ago

Oh how quickly older adults forget their youth. Keep it open.

jhawk0097 2 years, 8 months ago

I remember my youth quite clearly. Closed lunches. I sure did want to leave school grounds, but in retrospect it was a good policy.

britt408 2 years, 8 months ago

Keep it open. I had it in high school (only juniors and seniors) and it was nice to be able to get out for awhile and not be stuck with school food or whatever cold lunch you could bring from home. If kids want to skip school, they're going to do it whether or not there's open lunch.

CWGOKU 2 years, 8 months ago

Open up campus but put GPS ankle braclets on all the kids.

krich 2 years, 8 months ago

Labmonkey, I remember my youth in Lawrence and we weren't allowed to leave the grounds. Contrary to what Laura says, the student's needs should be an education and structure. Let's forget the touchy feely crap!

Glo 2 years, 8 months ago

The school district said they needed athletic facilities on site because they were afraid someone would be injured in an auto accident going off campus to practice. It was asked at the time why they didn't require students to stay on campus for lunch, since that certainly involved many more students leaving campus , usually in a rush because of time allowed. It is my understanding that the current lunch room could not accomodate all students if they chose to stay.

mom_of_three 2 years, 8 months ago

they estimate only 10% leave for lunch, so that is about 100 students...maybe, and not all at one time. How many students are on the football team and the soccer team? More than 100 easily. Then in the spring, its baseball, soccer, softball, which is more than 100 again.
While I understand your point, driving to Holcomb and YSi is a litle further than driving to 23rd street to lunch.

oneeye_wilbur 2 years, 8 months ago

yes, but only when Mcdonalds of Lawrence get the right to set up shop in the high schools. Now there is a interesting way for the schools to make some money. What say Mary Loveland? How about selling space in the two high schools to the McDobskis.

Eyezahahh 2 years, 8 months ago

I understand that a closed lunch would create more structure. But the only problem is that people forget that these students are going to be adults and a few years. I think it is detrimental if we just enforce all these rules and structures that won't be around in the real world. In the real world we have to be responsible for taking breaks and lunch breaks in the time allotted to us. And I think that kids should start learning how to be adults before the graduate school.

Eyezahahh 2 years, 8 months ago

beatrice 2 years, 8 months ago

Open. The food is too awful to force children to eat it.

grammaddy 2 years, 8 months ago

My thoughts exactly! Even fast food is better than what the school's call food.Jaimie Oliver where are you?

9070811 2 years, 8 months ago

open. I would go home, let out dogs out and eat. Sometimes I would run into one of my parents and we would get to eat together. I could get homework or anything I had forgotten or needed for the latter half of the day. It was also just nice to get out of noise for at least 20 minutes.

merrill 2 years, 8 months ago

No.

workinghard 2 years, 8 months ago

I'm sure many young couple would ge upset if they didn't get to leave for "lunch". I knew one young man that lived very close to Freestate. He brought his girlfriend home for "lunch" everyday. Must have been worried about getting food on their clothes since they always seemed to be buttoning or zipping things or combing hair.