When LT students enter NC, they reach a milestone of maturation, and plentiful privileges come along with this transition. At the age of 16, students are eligible to work and join the trade union, operate a motor vehicle, and even enlist in the military with parental consent. Although national and local governments recognize this level of maturity, LT on the other hand, to an extent, does not.

To this day, LT has yet to allow NC students to leave the building during their lunch periods. It is time for the administration to rethink the implementation of open campus and follow suit of surrounding high schools, for an open campus policy benefits both the students and the community.

Not only does open campus satisfy the desires of NC students, but it also offers a perfect opportunity for them to learn responsibility and proper interaction. Most students are given much help here at LT; teachers are the main organizers of a student’s schedule, and there is little responsibility for a student besides completing their work on time. Offering students the privilege of letting them leave the campus in the middle of the school day holds them extremely responsible to return on time, ready for the bell. Managing time between classes is a crucial skill upon entering college, and an open campus policy for NC students would benefit them by preparing for that responsibility.

Aside from helping students, open lunch fosters surrounding LaGrange businesses, because common destinations for hungry LT juniors and seniors would be restaurants in the business district of LaGrange, located less than a mile away from the school. This would instigate hundreds of high school students to spend money at LaGrange businesses for every day of the school year, ultimately augmenting food quality and business success.

Yes, there will be some students who will spoil their privilege by making wrong decisions during their time outside of school. Some students may also need to stay back for lunch study hall for academic reasons, too. The idea is not for everyone, yet the vast majority of NC students deserve the privilege. After all, high school is, in a sense, a long preparation for college, so why not implement responsibilities that further our college preparation? It is time the administration rethinks the lunch policy and allows NC students to act more their age.