Long wait for hungry Blazers

The amount of time needed to purchase lunch is increasing due to the high amount of students cutting into the lunch lines, which has led to increased administrator presence in the SAC.

In an informal study conducted by Silver Chips Online, three student monitors observed the three lines in the cafeteria and counted the number of blazers who cut in line over a fifteen-minute period. In that time, 93 students cut in line, with the highest incidents occuring in the indoor snack line nearest to the courtyard.

Vice Principal Patricia Hurley says administrators monitor the lines to the best of their abilities. "It‘s hard to monitor the lines because students come up and ask you questions, and when you let your guard down, kids take advantage of that," she said. "It's really hard."

Senior Maya Jackson gets agitated when people cut in front of her in the lunch lines. "These little punks look you right in the eyes and defiantly butt," she said. "The lines would go a lot faster if people would just keep their places in line.

Many Blazers admit that they cut in line, and that doing so is not a big problem. Junior Wangui Kangatcha cuts occasionally, but does not believe doing so is a crime. "I just feel Karma will get me later. I don't feel it's a big offense."

Junior Emily O'Brien avoids the long line by bringing her lunch to school an average of four times a week. "I don't like dealing with the long lines and the rude people," she said. "It's better than having to wait 20 to 30 minutes when I have better things to do at lunch."

For frequent offenders, Hurley explains she does have methods of punishment. "I give students [who cut frequently] in school suspension," she said. "There's no written policy, but we still don't allow it."