This is Spitfire, a style of head-to-head debates between The Accolade’s two Opinion editors. Kyuwon is blue. Elise is red.
PREVIOUSLY ON SPITFIRE: The former Opinion editors, Kayden Kim and Aashna Dialani, went head-to-head about whether it’s teachers or students who face more challenges. Kayden took the crown for the last Spitfire of the 2024-2025 school year. After a relaxing summer break, two new editors step up to the podium: juniors Kyuwon Han and Elise Pak. Who’s going to win the first debate of the school year? One thing’s for sure: they’re both about to spit FIRE.
Here are the rules:
- No profanity.
- An editor attacked by the other will be given three sentences to respond.
- The readers will decide who wins through a poll at the end of the article.
- Once a rule is broken, the debate ends.
At the start of every school year, students wander around campus like bees finding their way out of a hive, searching for the perfect lunch spot for them and their friends. Now that we’re juniors, Kyuwon, we finally have the privilege of having lunch off campus — but why should that be reserved for only upperclassmen? Freshmen and sophomores should be allowed to leave for lunch as well.
Elise, for freshmen and sophomores, staying at school is helpful for them because they have more opportunities to learn about the school culture and bond with their new friends, with Link Crew hosting activities for them during lunch. Also, club meetings occur during lunch, and it’s important for them to attend those to get involved by finding their interests. Why leave school if there’s so many things to do here?
I hear what you’re saying, but realistically, lunch is not the only way for students to bond and learn about Sunny Hills culture. These things can be built through classes, school events and participation in spirit weeks — not just by sitting around campus. Plus, nearby high schools like Fullerton Union High School allow underclassmen to leave for lunch, according to page 12 of their 2024/2025 Student Handbook.
But, other schools have different environments from our school. Most underclassmen don’t have their driver’s license yet, so it takes them extra time to get to Amerige Heights Town Center, to order food and to get back, making them tardy. Teachers won’t appreciate it, and may give detentions, when students are late for their classes, since it disrupts the whole class during lectures or tests.
Even if underclassmen don’t have their licenses yet, Amerige Heights Town Center is well within walking distance. Students should be able to easily return to school back in time for their fifth period classes. Giving them the privilege of off-campus lunch also teaches them the responsibility of keeping track of time — forcing them to manage their independence earlier in their high school years.
Still, there are safety issues as Amerige Heights Town Center is a busy area with many different cars, people and streets involved. Underclassmen may not be familiar with the environment near Sunny Hills and might get lost.
Because of the violation of rule No. 2, Spitfire ends by default. Who do you think is right? Click on Kyuwon’s or Elise’s picture to declare your winner.
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