Due to a series of fights at Deland High School, the administration has decided to decrease the lunch period by seven minutes, and in the span of one day. This change was unfairly brought on, and without warning. While this may not seem like a lot of lost time, the staff is promoting an unhealthy group mentality. Obviously, high school staff members should encourage individuality.

Furthermore, the administration could have easily punished only the children involved in the fight, rather than punishing thousands of people. Suspension is not the only punishment. Parent conferences, referrals, and counseling could potentially soothe the need for a course-of-action, as well. 

Fights do not just occur during lunch hours; they may also occur in the hallways and restrooms in-between class periods, or even during class. Conflict in the hallways during a transitional period is especially dangerous, because it would disrupt the flow of students from one class to another. Some may choose to observe and record the fight, while others may have their pathway blocked. 

The cafeteria has had much trouble in the past distributing lunches to every person that chooses to chow down on school lunch. Now, there are seven less minutes for those who do not have the opportunity to get lunch until much later to eat. This may promote extensive and unnecessary stress and anxiety to students, whom are already in great pressure. Playing on this fact, students that leave for lunch may rush to come back to the school, which could cause a serious accident, or at the very least, penalties involving the law. 

Moreover, many more students may choose to skip their fifth period classes in order to hang out with friends, partially in protest. While the new bell schedule could have been initiated partially because authority figures wanted students to have more time in class, will those who skip not miss more class time? 

Because of the size of the school, having nearly 3,000 students, classes tend to be strangers mixed in with other strangers, especially in non-IB classes and classes in which students are involved in a specific career path. Lunch is one of the only times at DHS in which many friend groups may be able to share time and experiences together; we are only teenagers once.

Please let us have our time back, Dr. Carr. By assessing the situation through peace and positivity, rather than changes that will further irritate already aggressive students, perhaps we can make Deland High School a better place. Giving those who started the fight a suspension, referral, or counseling, rather than extending the drama to other students, may promote less impulsive behaviors, as well as demonstrate to students less-than-impulsive behavior. Pushing a new bell schedule on students in the span of a few hours is impulsive behavior, as is starting a fight. I call for justice to the many innocent students of Deland High School — give us our time back!