Personally, I have never been a big breakfast person. With my morning routine typically consisting of me racing to get ready and out the door, I’ve never had much time to flip a pancake or scrambles some eggs. The school’s free breakfast however has been my gateway for a quick, and not to mention, free breakfast before class.
Robinson’s gates open at 8 am every morning to welcome students onto campus. The cafeteria serves assortments of already made cinnamon rolls, pancake sticks or even fast breakfast bars for any hungry students. I usually stop in and wait in line for a convenient meal. However, so does the rest of the school so the lines can get pretty long. Depending on what time I get to school, I usually have ample time to pick my choice of food and enjoy it before I walk to my first class.
However, there has been a new policy pushing the breakfast closing time from 8:30 to 8:20. While this may not seem like a big change, with the amount of kids lining up for the most important meal of the day, the time crunch can get close.
Several students who rely on school buses have no control on when they arrive. This can make it unmanageable to get to school early enough to get breakfast.
A good breakfast is known to affect a student’s focus and energy in class. Now that the time frame to get this important meal is cut short, many students miss out on something that directly consequences their academic performance.
In addition, there is an impact on low-income students who may not have food at home. This meal is a necessity for many students who rely on the school’s food.
Schools should recognize that a strict 8:20 cutoff doesn’t account for students’ different circumstances.
