Here at South El Monte High School everyone waits until the clock hits 12:09. It’s the students favorite time of the day, lunch time! Lunch is approximately 37 minutes and depending on their place in line, students spend a good amount of their lunch time just waiting in line. However, if school lunch isn’t your thing, then there’s a few other options available. And for some students, delivery is the way to go. 

Upperclassmen have the privilege of leaving campus to get food during their lunch period if they have a lunch pass. The criteria to obtain a lunch pass includes a maintained GPA, good attendance record, and a parent and adminstrator signature. Another option is making a purchase at one of the few vending machines around campus or the student store. It’s a quick and easy option especially when you need a snack to hold you off until the end of the day. The most popular option among students and staff is using food delivery services. Students use services such as DoorDash, Uber Eats, Postmates, and Grub Hub to order food for lunch and even nutrition. It’s common for students to order their food during the class period before lunch so that their food arrives during the designated lunch time.  

On Thursday, April 20th, administration sent an email to parents and students stating “South El Monte High School’s Safety Committee in an effort to promote a more safe campus and avoid instructional time interruptions, has voted to eliminate food deliveries to the school during the school day from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. effective immediately.” Although I personally believe the policy is an unnecessary restriction on students, I could also see why the committee made this decision. Food deliveries during instructional time could be distracting to the students and teachers. Senior, Ryan Gonzales, shared “I understand the school’s and teacher’s frustration with students leaving and disturbing class to get their food, because when they bring it back it’s all some students are focused on.” Additionally, I understand why this policy is meant to ensure safety. Think about it, there has to be someone accepting these deliveries throughout the entirety of the day. Before the policy was put in place, it would be a security guard accepting these deliveries. However, that meant less security to supervise the campus and resolve any disputes. I hope in the future the committee could up with a system to allow food deliveries without interruptions compromising class time. 

On the other hand, I am in favor of food deliveries from the student point of view. Food delivery services are convenient for students who spend a majority of their day on campus. Sometimes parents will stop by to drop off food for their kids, however not everyone has that luxury. There’s a number of students who stay late after school for various reasons. Whether students are still on campus for games, performances, extracurriculars, or other circumstances; they need to eat. Food is fuel! Without it students aren’t going to be able to perform at the best of their ability. “Not everyone likes the food here, some people have allergies, and some people like to eat healthy. By not allowing them to order food they’re essentially making them not eat until they get home and for some that could be a long time.” Ryan adds. 

Ultimately, I can see both the good and the bad of the food delivery policy. Although I believe it’s convenient and beneficial for students, I could also understand the downside of it. At the end of the day, food is available to all students one way or another.