St. Paul, Minn. ? On school lunch menus one recent Thursday afternoon: a healthy helping of discomfort.

Goths and geeks squirmed as they munched silently together at Rosemount High School in Rosemount, Minn., during a national attempt to diffuse cliques by encouraging students to lunch without their friends.

Rosemount was one of about 2,500 schools nationally to participate in the Southern Poverty Law Center’s first Mix It Up at Lunch Day Nov. 21. National organizers hoped to make students aware of how uncomfortable they were spending time with people outside their cliques, said outreach coordinator Kalvin Datcher.

Uneasiness certainly reigned at Rosemount High that day, but despite incentives …quot; “I’d rather use the word ‘motivate’ than ‘bribe,'” said Rosemount assistant principal Rita Gundacker – most stuck close to their usual circles.

Some students made their way to their assigned tables, but many ignored their compulsory seats, traded table assignments with others or dashed back to their friends as soon as the motivational drawings for free parking passes and free food were over.

“They can’t force us to sit by people we don’t know,” said junior Tawny Hyster, who sat down for lunch with her friends despite a gaggle of yellow-shirted student and staff volunteers trying to prevent such cliquishness.

Instead of the usual intra-clique chatter, awkward silence reigned at the few tables in the Rosemount High cafeteria where strangers sat together.

“I knew this was a bad idea from the start,” said Terry Harris, a dreadlocked senior who’s used to discussing politics with his friends over lunch. “This might have turned out well, but people are afraid.”

Nathan Gentry, a skinny freshman sitting across the round table from Harris, certainly was.

Many students said they’d make no special effort to talk to people they met Thursday. Some said they wouldn’t even bother to say hello if they passed in the halls.

Still, some organizers were ready to call Rosemount’s day a success, even if students did keep a few friends at their side.

“It’s better than we expected,” said junior Erin Kopperud, who was hanging out with fellow Fellowship of Christian Athletes members. She said she was part of the “involved” clique.