Within the past few years one problem has remained consistent, thievery amongst our cafeteria. This has affected not only our cafeteria staff but could have a significant impact on the price of our food. Not only this but another problem is the decline in respect towards staff and students alike.
“The biggest issue is how if affects moral,” said Mr. Anstead, our food director, noting the effects of thievery on our staff. From rude students to constantly having to be on the watch to thwart thief’s actions. Staff reports of students putting multiple pizzas in the same box, to shoving hot chicken into their hoods, their pants, backpacks, pockets, and hiding food under their plates. The lunch staff adds, “The biggest problem, is with the kids stealing the pizzas.”
The thievery has led to the banning of hoods and backpacks in the lines, as well as the creation of a separate line for snacks, which only opens toward the end of the lunch period. In addition, new rules are in place such as lifting the bun of your sandwich or opening the pizza boxes before you can check out. These rules, despite some rumors, apply to everyone in the line, regardless of physicality.
Furthermore, a great problem within the school lunch lines, is the rampant and disrespectful cutting of the line. Which leads to buildups of students causing the lines to move much slower, while creating tensions between all students. This moreover causes more for the cafeteria staff to handle, especially as students show no regard for social etiquette and when told to move to the end of the line simply ignore or refute. When asked about this problem, cafeteria staff said, “More supervision is needed for the lines.” As most supervisory staff is busy doing other things than watching the lines.
Most importantly for the rest of us, if thievery is to continue it could lead to higher prices for all of us or losing snacks and sodas entirely, to cover the cost of continued lost inventory, hurting everyone in the district, even those stealing, when free and reduced lunch programs exist.
