By Aleeha Shah| staff writer

Ever since elementary school, students have been told they can’t eat in class. As students get older, the days get longer, and the lunches get more spread out. As lunchtime gets later and later, students begin bringing snacks to class.

“I don’t eat breakfast at home because I don’t have time, plus it gives me more time to sleep, so I’ll usually eat during like first or second period,” senior Kate Vana said.

Although most teachers understand the reason kids eat in class, some don’t allow it simply because of the mess students leave behind.

“I had experiences where kids snacked, and left wrappers on the floor. Left grape stems on the floor, left cheerios on the floor, left spilled drinks on the floor, or their desk, and that’s why I don’t do it,” health science teacher, Theresa Alford said.

The mess the students make is one reason why teachers don’t allow food, another is the health concerns that can be involved.

“If I get a note from the nurse saying that a student has a peanut allergy, then definitely there’s no eating in class,” english teacher, Lisa Blom said.

Although some teachers don’t allow their students to eat in their rooms, others actually encourage it.

“I let them eat in class because some students have a necessity to eat in class, like they might have a medical condition or something. Some students just need a pick me up at some times, so if they would like to get a snack that’s fine,” spanish teacher, Jennifer Aranda said.

Allowing a student to have a snack in class can help a student focus more on their work than their hunger.

“I think that if a student has energy from food, if they make the right food choices, then I think it does benefit them to eat in class,” Aranda said. “Sometimes it’s a way to get them to stay seated, and to get them focused on something- if they are eating something. I mean, who doesn’t have a snack when they’re studying or doing homework.”

With all these benefits, some students think that the rules should be changed, so all teachers allow snacks in their class.

“I think that students really need that, because there are a lot of kids that don’t really have the time in the morning to get food, or they don’t have ways of getting food until they get to school, and they might be running late, or just like throughout the day. Like if they have a really late lunch period, like sixth period lunch, you’re gonna need something,” senior Katarina Morales said.

Despite some students thinking the rules should change, some teachers are not willing to rethink their rules against eating during class.

“Probably not because this is a place of learning, and I think there still needs to be rules and structure in the classroom, and this is a place to learn,” Blom said.