Unlike many other private schools, SSFS does not allow students to drive off campus during lunch in lieu of eating in the dining hall. I met with Ben McClellan, Dean of Students, and several students at SSFS to gain perspective on this privilege and its possible return for the future.

The answer to why students aren’t allowed to leave campus to get food for lunch seems to be very simple. Safety. According to Dean of Students, Ben McClellan, the faculty of the Upper School raised concerns regarding, “additional unnecessary driving on and off campus.” If students were able to leave campus for lunch, this would add much more traffic coming in and leaving campus in the middle of the day. This influx of traffic could increase the risk of an accident occurring. Students would be rushing to get back to class on time. On the topic of rushing to class while driving, Ben explains, “Ultimately, there was an accident that resulted in this. Fortunately, no one was seriously hurt but since students were rushing back to class, faculty made a decision to stop this privilege.” Ben’s points emphasize greatly on keeping students safer and to prevent them from getting hurt on the road.

For those who are students now, it seems very unlikely that this will be a possibility in the future. From factors that include safety and being late to class, this privilege is likely to never return. Ben states regarding the current policy, “It reduces a lot of risks and safety concerns.” The faculty is open to having students raise ideas towards a senior privilege, but this one seems too unsafe. The teachers’ main goal are to keep the students safe and with this policy, it seems to be working.

Students have a much different perspectives and ideas regarding this topic. When they were asked if we should be able to off-campus for lunch, most replied with an excited, “YES!” Junior Liam Neville replied, “Yes, as long as they leave enough time to make it back before their next class.” Liam’s point explains how if kids managed to not be late, this should be a possibility. Senior Gillian Ford responded, “Yes, at least for juniors and seniors because I think the lunch line would be shorter.” Many students feel very strongly about this topic and love to talk about the idea of this privilege. As good as it may sound, students must factor safety into the equation since the school prevents this to limit the risks while driving. Is being safe better than a burrito bowl at Chipotle?