Dear President,

Its important for a high school student to have the ability to leave campus for lunch because they are old enough to make their own decisions and are responsible to make it back to school in time for their afternoon classes. People tend to disagree that students are irresponsible but research says 95 percent of students use open campus lunches responsibly. For middle school and elementary students, it should be regulated when or if they are able to leave for lunch. 

Allowing high school students to leave campus for lunch could help students who have any food allergies so, they won't have to worry about what might be in their food that they are allergic too and don't have to pack a lunch everyday. Many articles address food allergies; they argue around 1 of 13 students have a food allergy problem. If we can give that 1 person a choice to eat at home or at a restaurant, they don't have to worry about ever having a problem.

Some schools in the area already have open campus lunches, but to allow all schools to have open campus lunches other students from other schools can go to lunch together. 

Freedom plays an important role in allowing students to leave campus because they have the ability to either stay or leave for lunch. They have a choice of which restaurant they want to go for example, Subway or McDonald's. Some may say it will increase obesity in students, but it won't because then students have the choice to eat healthy. 

Understanding that I am a student I hope you take in consideration the privilege it gives to me having the choice to leave school for lunch.

Mary Schmidt