It’s a known fact that eating in the library is extremely taboo. However, new rules have been enforced concerning food on the patio itself. Students are now told to either remain in the cafeteria, or finish eating first and discarding of trash before entering the patio area. When informed of this rule, students seemed befuddled; never before had lunch been restricted outside of the library.
“Public school is a privilege, but a library in a public school is a right,” Avni Gharpurey ‘16 said. “We are expected to take college-level classes and spend every waking moment finishing our homework, but we can’t have a quiet place to do it while eating lunch?”
Students, especially those who prefer a quiet environment for studying, seem fairly unhappy with these new circumstances. The idea of going to the noisy cafeteria, finishing lunch, and trekking back to the library to scribble down homework in the few precious moments that are left does not render as particularly appealing.
“I understand that they take eating very seriously,” Ashley Gonzalez ‘16 said. “I get why they wouldn’t want crumbs and trash from eating in the library. One time I was even ‘banned’ from the library for a few weeks during freshmen year because I didn’t know we couldn’t eat in there!”
The patio has been known as a quiet hideaway from the noisy cafeteria, a sanctuary for textbook cramming and last minute skimming of the entire book assigned in English the block before the test.
“I see kids eating and doing homework or studying for tests during every lunch block,” Ally Hayes ‘15 said. “It’s kind of obnoxious to stress over a test when everyone else in the cafeteria is talking or laughing really loudly.”
The quote written on the patio by Ralph Emerson Waldo states, “Be good to your work, your word, and your friend.” But what about your food? Personally, I feel that this new crackdown about eating lunch on the patio seems a little over the top. Of course, it makes perfect sense not to want Cheeto dust and cookie crumbs adorning the floor, but I believe that Westwood students would go an extra mile to be respectful and neat, especially if they were indeed allowed to eat lunch on the patio under the circumstances of keeping it clean.
Sarah Day • Nov 4, 2014 at 5:22 pm
I know I’m a little late responding, but eating in the library has never been acceptable, including on The Patio. There were signs on the walls in the past. The difference is they have been moved to the tables as to be more noticeable, which seems to be working. They unfortunate things is that while the majority of students may be responsible with their food and drink, too many are not. After every lunch period, we are on The Patio, and even walking through the library itself, picking up students’ trash and wiping up spills. I realize it feels like we are punishing the many for the mistakes of the few, but what other viable choice do we have? We cannot stand on The Patio to watch to see who leaves a mess and who doesn’t, we cannot monitor who comes on The Patio and who doesn’t. We have not been left with any good options. Trust me when I say that micromanaging students is not our idea of time well spent, but we are also responsible for the safety of students and the care of the resources and space.