The James Logan Courier

By Krystal Henderson, Courier News Editor

School administrators have moved a lunch table that spurred conflict between groups of students contending the use of it, ending the conflict for the time being, at least.

The table, formerly in the Senior Patio area along the outside wall of the Student Union, was the regular eating site of a closely associated group of students who used it regularly for several years. The table was (before its relocation) a lunchtime eating area for students, and a hang-out spot after school.


House Eleven's Principal Jesus Varela said that the table, over several years has been the cause of conflicts, and "notoriously problematic," mostly when other groups of students attempted to take over the table as their eating place.

A recent recurrence of the conflict last month led administrators to have the table moved, but students simply retrieved the table and replaced in in their favorite spot. Even after administrators had the table bolted to the ground, students still found a way to detach and replace it.

Over the past weeks, the table has been moved "about three or four times, and every time it's been moved back," Varela said.

About two weeks ago, administrators had the table moved again. Some of the tables have been bolted to the ground; some have been chained together.

"We have to care for and look out for the safety of all the students at Logan," said Varela.

This time, the strategy seems to have worked.

"It's easy to move one table; it's harder to move two or three," Varela said.

Now, instead of the table, the group of students has placed chairs in the area, and some spend their lunch periods there.

The displaced students are not happy.

"We have nowhere to sit now," said a female student who usually ate lunch at the table. "It's really not fair."

Another table regular complained, "Now I don't have anywhere to do my homework. If they take our (table), they should move everyone else's, too."

Logan will have to wait to see how this change affects the Lunchtime decorum.

"We're trying this out; it's too early to tell, but it might be working,"
Varela said.