The Persisting Issue of Long Lunch Lines

Every student who buys lunch from the cafeteria races through the cramped doors just to be in a never-ending line of students who also want their lunch. At Brearley, every student is given a 20-minute lunch compared to 45-minute class periods. Many students rush through the hall just so they can be the first in line, settle down quicker, and eat their food. People who don’t hurry sit in the back of the lunch line for 5 to 10 minutes. Although this doesn't sound like a lot of time out of 20 minutes, most students only have 5 to 10 minutes to eat. By the time they settle down, the bell rings, and they have to return to another 45-minute class. This schedule can affect the students' ability to learn, and it stems from the issue of having a shorter lunch period. 

David Brearley students were interviewed, and a pattern was seen. Nine out of ten students who order lunch believe that the lunch is too short to eat and properly digest. Many students question why the district has chosen this amount of lunchtime, and there are negative effects of rushing to eat. Coincidentally, most of the students interviewed agreed that the class periods are too long in relation to lunch, claiming that there is no break in the day to have some form of relaxation and barely any time to enjoy the food before going back to another class. Not only can this be physically unhealthy for the students, but it can also take a mental toll, as students may feel that they need to rush to eat, and they aren’t able to de-stress from the heavy pressures of academics. Currently, there is no solution to the problem of long lunch lines. Some say that the district should lengthen the lunch period, while others believe that the 20-minute lunch time is suitable, considering the wait and long lunch lines. Is there a reason for this comparably short lunch, or does the school district agree that it is mentally and physically healthy to rush students who value their lunch time?