Final Exam

An open campus policy allows students to go outside during lunch or in some cases even leave the grounds. This has been implemented in many schools, especially those in warmer climates. However, some schools don't allow students to go outside at all, even during lunch. Why would this be? Is it because of a lack of trust? The potential for danger? Simple climate issues? It's different for every school. The main  question that should be asked when considering an open door policy is this: do we want to treat our students like prisoners? Or even worse than prisoners, considering most prisoners get time outside.

Being able to go outside shouldn't be considered a luxury, it should be considered a right. It shouldn't be reserved to "if you donate enough money, we'll let the seniors have lunch outside for one day out of the entire year." That's completely dehumanizing. There needs to be a level of trust and respect placed upon students that just isn't there. This issue is similar to the fact that we have to ask to go to the bathroom. It's like in the film The Shawshank Redemption; Red gets out of prison for the first time, and keeps asking his employer if it's okay to go to the bathroom. His boss says that he doesn't have to ask him to use the bathroom because it's a basic human thing that doesn't require permission, just like using the bathroom at school or sitting outside in the sun to eat lunch. 

Most jobs allow employees to leave for lunch, if they wanted to. They could take a break, walk across the street, get some coffee and a bagel and come right back. Why is this common, while it is an uncommon thing for students to sit at picnic benches outside and eat? Especially when the weather is nice, sitting outside and enjoying a decent meal would be a dream. Leaving to go somewhere for food would also be a wonderful thing. One could drive to Chipotle and back and arrive in time for next period. As long as people get back on time, it wouldn't be an issue. Despite that fact, we aren't allowed to leave, or even go outside. 

Students just want to be treated like humans. We should be trusted enough to at least go outside, if not walk across the street for some coffee. It all comes down to a matter of respect and faith in the student body. Giving students more responsibility would be beneficial and could lead to them respecting their teachers more as well. It will make everyone involved happy, and would provide a nice break from the long, stressful hours inside the building. We want to attend a school, not a prison. That's all anyone really wants.