By Jennifer Trend, Staff Writer
Some teachers allow students to eat during class, but there are others who don’t allow it. Eating during class has always been something students are aware of, and there are pros and cons to it- but in the end should teachers allow students to eat?
Different teachers have different policies on eating in class. Some allow it during a certain portion of the class, some only allow a small snack and not a full lunch, while some have no rules to eating, only that students pick up after themselves. However, there are also teachers who are very strict on it and don’t allow eating at all.
When students are hungry, they can’t concentrate on the assignment or lesson in front of them; they can only think of the next time they have the opportunity to eat. Hunger can be a distraction both to the student and to their peers. Lack of food could lead to an upset stomach which could in turn, distract students nearby.
Knowing that one can eat during class can reassure someone, especially if don’t have the chance to properly eat during break or lunch. That way, students don’t have to worry about having to sacrifice food for the activity they have to do or go to.
Students are growing teenagers who are constantly, if not some of the time, hungry. They won’t have to wait until break or lunch to eat and instead, can eat whenever they need to and not be confined to a set number of minutes everyday.
But when there are pros, there will also be cons. The food brought to class could be a distraction to others, and if the smell is strong enough, it can attract even more attention than it needs to. Other students may become hungry but have no food.
Not only can it attract other students’ attention, it can also attract unwanted insects or rodents if food is spilled. Nonetheless, most students at Fountain Valley pick up after themselves, preventing any unwanted visitors from coming.
Food is an essential part of life, and hunger is primal. Students should be able to eat when they are hungry and not be confined to a schedule. At a glance, eating during class may not look like such a good idea, but it is beneficial and can help a student in the long run.
