Many New York City high schools prohibit the use of cell phones and
other electronics on campus. But taking away food?

The High School of Graphic Communication Arts has issued a ban on all
food and beverages (including water) in the building, which went in
effect Tuesday, October 12th. Santa Calderon, Assistant Principal of
Security and HSGCA graduate, says there are two reasons behind the
ban: littering in the building and an increasing rodent problem in the
basement due to students "going into classrooms throwing wrappers on
the floors.”

Calderon, who’s worked at HSGCA for 24 years, doesn’t agree with the
ban but she understands the need for it. On Friday, October 8th, she
conducted a meeting with the Student Government to come up with
creative alternatives to present to the principal. The students
proposed a minor trial period for the ban, designed to make the
students appreciate being able to bring food in the building.
Principal Jerod Resnick agreed to the trial period, using it as a test
for the students who deliberately litter and throw trash on the
floors.

There are opposing feelings about this issue from both students and
teachers. Olga Kuleshova, a junior, says she understands the
administration’s reasoning behind the ban but describes it as
unfair. "They are taking away something that every human being needs,"
she complains.

“People have special diets and we should have control over what we eat
and where it comes from,” Kuleshova continued.

Saxon Maitland, a senior, believes that as a result of the ban the
attendance rate will drop. "Students will have to wake up earlier just
to eat. They’ll miss class and stop coming entirely," he says.

Another student, LaiElle Whitaker, sells homemade cookies in school;
she thinks the rule is ridiculous, stating that she "understand[s]
kids make a mess but it’s the janitors' job to clean.”

On the other hand, Mr. Sheikovitz, a gym teacher thinks it’s a great
idea to ban food and beverages in the building, adding that "it’s the
janitors job to clean, but not to pick up trash off the floors [that
kids deliberately put there]."

When asked what the administration could do as a penalty for the
students littering in the building, Maitland said “[the principal] can
turn off the escalators for a week, just like he did my freshman
year." HSGCA is a big school and has seven floors and the escalators provide the primary
source of transportation in the school.

The Student Government suggested that the administration implement a
community service program where students would be held responsible for
littering in the building.

“We’re not here to take away anyone’s food. [Students] will be
asked to eat in the cafeteria,” says Calderon. The administration
seems mainly to be concerned about food in the classrooms.

“They’re trying to fix Graphics when in reality, they’re not. In the
teachers eyes, [the rule] will last but kids will still find a way
to sneak food in," says Maitland.

Food is now allowed in the building but only in the cafeteria. The
prinicipal reversed the ban but just as Maitland predicted, students
are finding ways to sneak food in the classrooms. The administration
is still complaining about trash being all over the building and
Whitaker is still selling her cookies. Not much has changed.