FVHS has an off campus lunch policy, which states that only juniors and seniors can leave campus during lunch. They would need to buy an off campus pass to be able to do so, but freshman and sophomores must stay on campus during lunch.

A lot of juniors and seniors do not buy the off campus pass. The off campus pass is a $5 slip of paper.

Some students don’t like the lunch here and leave to buy lunch or eat food at one of the nearby restaurants. To be allowed to do this, they need that pass, but why would they need a pass to go get food?

The pass does not track us or in any way make us liable for anything that might happen while we are off campus. It isn’t an agreement to take responsibility. 

Some students don’t have the pass and still leave during lunch. This is why the administration has become more strict about checking students for their passes when lunch is over and everyone is coming back to the school.

“We shouldn’t have to pay for an off campus lunch pass. It’s our only free time, and we should be able to do what we want with it,” senior Kayla Bradley said.

Regardless of this, there are upsides to the off campus lunch pass. It allows for staff to monitor who comes into the school and make sure that only students are entering the school after lunch. The doors are unlocked during lunch and anyone can walk in. Having a system to know who is coming in and out is a smart idea

“It’s a smart idea since the school is worried about random people coming into the school. It’s a good way to keep students safe, but I don’t think we should have to pay for them. It feels a bit like extortion,” said senior Sanai Mondie.

Considering both sides, I do think the off campus passes can be helpful, but I don’t think students should have to pay to leave.

While being able to leave the school as seniors and juniors is a privilege, I don’t think that privilege should be regulated by having to pay to use it. The lunch pass is only $5, but even that amount can change how people feel about leaving during lunch.