Access to the Dungeon has become restricted with the implementation of new gated entrances. The new addition of the gates have left some students wondering why.

When walking down the back hall, it appeared clear to many students that the area in the dungeon was very off limits. However, leading up to the addition of the gate there has been no announcement or explanation on why they are there. The thick black gates took an abrupt appearance as students filled the hall and added the scene to their snapchat stories.

Luna Steele, a senior, says she ate in the dungeon for a whole year her sophomore year.

“It made me less anxious and I didn’t have to deal with going into the cafeteria and dealing with being uncomfortable, I could relax.” Steele said she understands why administrations did it, but went on to say it feels unnecessary to put up giant steel gates to keep kids out. “It’s so ridiculous.”

Tionna German, junior, says she walks by the entrances to the dungeon every day and knows a lot of people who do eat in that area that is now restricted.

She said, “I feel like we could spend money more effectively on other things that we need, like better hand driers in the bathrooms.” She went on to say “People may misconstrue it as making the school appear more like a prison, rather than a school.”

DJ Escobar, sophomore, says he has been eating in the spot since he was a freshmen and that he goes there before school.

Escobar says, “I feel like they are labeling us as kids and they are taking away our freedoms, I feel like this is going to be start of the things that are going to change in a bad way for us.” He said that it feels “childish” and that we are “way past being babies.” Escobar said the tables are never open in the cafeteria because he never get there in time and the lunchroom fills up quickly, so he and his group go there to eat.  

“My whole little group eats in the dungeon.” He said he feels like [it’s] not giving us a choice, makes it seem like we don’t have the right to have opinions over things like this, and it’s like a dictatorship.”

Julian Reyes, junior, says he used to go there for lunch and also before school.

“It definitely makes the school feel like a jail because they are cutting off the entrances and doorways.”

Reyes said that he doesn’t like it and it makes him feel more insecure about the school. “Instead of making me feel safer, it is making me feel trapped.” Reyes said the administration “Should have definitely told the student body because it such a huge environment for our social time when we aren’t in class.”

He said people in the cafeteria are often too loud and it makes things uncomfortable and he goes to the dungeon sometimes to eat alone and work alone on homework. In the library students can’t eat there either.

         Tanuelle Jackson, a junior, an active lunch eater in the dungeon comments on the gates.

“I think it’s a waste of money.” She said “it’s a spot where I go there to socialize, and the gates are restricting me.They are basically dog gates. They have already tried to enforce the rule to not eat lunch there, but it a nice spot to relax and be there with my friends.”

Principal Rebecca Morrisey talked on the issue saying “That we need to secure the space as a classroom, so people weren’t in there disrupting the class.”. “It is a classroom between 7:55 and 3:00.” Morrisey also said “she would open it up if the space is needed and ensure the supervision.”