Throughout school, students have been complaining that they are not allowed to snack during classes. To them, it is very tough to get through that time between breakfast and lunch without indulging in a little snack. We at The Schreiber Times agree with these students and find the notion that students should not eat during classes unreasonable. When on an empty stomach, it is very difficult to stay focused, so not being able to eat can decrease productivity, and having a snack during class can benefit students.
The argument that eating during class can distract students is understandable, but being hungry provides an even greater distraction. If students were permitted to eat “quieter” foods during class and avoided foods that make crunchy noises like potato chips, it would not distract others and would only assist the students.
Another prominent issue is that of students with allergies. If someone were eating something in the same classroom as a student with severe allergies, it could prove to be detrimental to that student. Also, if someone had been eating something containing the food that a student is allergic to while sitting at the same desk, the student could be negatively affected.
However, these should not be reasons to put sanctions on students eating in classrooms, as there are simple solutions to these problems. First, students should be made aware of the allergies of fellow classmates. This is no different than what should happen if students were not in classrooms; if there are students with airborne allergies, foods containing the allergen should not be taken out in that area. Also, the school should designate a few desks in every classroom as food-free or peanut free.
If foods that can cause allergic reactions are avoided and noisy foods that can cause distraction aren’t eaten in classrooms, there is no good reason that students shouldn’t be able to increase their focus by snacking during class.