Open campus at Miramonte? Students weigh in on possible lunch-time option
Should Miramonte students be allowed to leave the campus during lunchtime?
Many high schools have an open campus, meaning students can leave during lunch, but all schools in the Acalanes Union High School District, which includes Miramonte, are “closed campuses,” per school board policy.
“This means that students cannot leave during the school day or at lunch without permission from their parent or guardian,” said Miramonte principal Ben Campopiano.
The debate among students and staff is whether having an open campus improves or hurts safety concerns.
Campopiano believes students would head towards the closer lunch eateries, which are in Moraga.
“An open campus would definitely lead to more students driving at lunchtime,” said Campopiano.
Conversely, Milla Ohrbach, a junior at Miramonte, said that allowing students to eat off campus increases their likelihood of turning to staff if something unsafe happens.
“Miramonte should have open campus lunch, as students do it anyway and they deserve the opportunity to eat outside of school if they don’t want to eat the school food,” Ohrbach said.
However, open campus lunches also open Miramonte up to liability issues.
With parking lots already busy during traffic hours, the 30-35 minute lunches Miramonte currently has may not be long enough.
Margaret Meckes, a Miramonte junior, said the lunch time would have to be extended, and the bell schedule would have to change.
“I think that it would be great to have off-campus lunch, but I don’t think it’s super feasible,” she said. “However, maybe if Miramonte had students and parents sign a contract, it would be OK.”
Miramonte also offers a school lunch that has differing opinions among students. Most days, pizza and salad is served, and occasionally, chicken teriyaki and hamburgers.
Ohrbach said, “I think their options are good because there are healthy foods like salads and more fast food options like pizza and burgers every day.”
Nevertheless, some students don’t think what’s being served is enough.
“My one gripe with the lunches, more specifically the pizza, is one slice of pizza is not nearly enough food,” Meckes said. “They’re leaving us starving.”
As a result of the lack of quantity of food, many students end up bringing their own lunch to school, defeating the purpose of California’s free lunch program.
Lucia Pierdant, a Miramonte senior, said bringing food to school is better for her.
“When I bring my own food, I don’t have to wait in lines that take up a big chunk of my lunch [time],” said Pierdant. “to only get bleak amounts of food.”
