By Chole Chin
Staff Writer
Hundreds of students pour down Jamesville-DeWitt High School’s cafeteria lines everyday, anxiously drumming their trays on metal countertops, waiting to be allotted their hot pizza and fruit, and, sometimes, tater tots or breadsticks as an added bonus. But recently those tater tots and pizza have costed the students more. But is this price increase in keeping with the quality of the meals? Are students getting more for their money?
No. The quality, portion size and selections are the same. As miffed senior Chris Russo put it: “it sucks.”
The current price, $2.75, is a 25 cent increase from years before. As small or large as this price increase may be perceived, it does not equate to better quality hot pizza and fruit being dished out.
However, it is the overall resounding agreement of the faculty and students that the staff cannot, and should not, be blamed for this increase in price. No one is to blame. It is known that the economy has been in dire straits lately in many areas of consumer life. Food products and consumer items “went up, everything is just simply more expensive than in previous years, says cafeteria cashier Jo’Ann Carbacio; “if kids choose to eat everything offered to them in the hot lunch meal, it’s a pretty good deal. But often that’s not the case.” Oftentimes students walk away with only two items are their tray. “The price of food is just expensive,” Carbacio says.
Despite the debate over whether or not kids like school lunch, it is still very popular. The majority of the high school student body purchases the lunch provided by J-DHS. Thus, lots and lots of food must be purchased by the school to provide a lunch for the majority of hungry Red Rams who choose to partake. Food being purchased in that kind of bulk can be very expensive. A statistic by CNN states massive grocery outlets have increased their prices by an average 3 percent in the last five years. With the rising price of ingredients to produce school meals, in addition to the vast amount being bought, the result is a major overall increase in price.
It seems only fair that this price be translated to those hungrily reaching for their cheese pizza and fruit. After all it is only a quarter, right?