The return of in-person learning at school means a rise in transmission of COVID-19 cases as students are forced to walk in crowded hallways and common areas. One of the most congested areas of the school is the lunch cafeteria. Hundreds of students congregate in the cafeteria and take off their masks to eat their lunch. Munson is on red alert as cases in Northern Michigan skyrocket, but despite this, students are not allowed to leave campus and eat at home or somewhere else to avoid potentially getting COVID. Students that live just a few minutes away are not allowed to drive home and eat in their homes instead of eating around hundreds of students without masks. Especially now as the extra-infectious variant, Omicron, rages through the community and student attendance is affected due to illness. 

  Central has an open campus, and juniors and seniors are free to return home for lunch. Central does not have a decreased level of safety despite their open campus and local businesses receive revenue from students going out for lunch. If West had an open campus, the rise in customers from students going out to eat for lunch could help many local businesses, especially ones that are struggling due to the effects of the pandemic. There are no reasons why West should have a closed campus as Central has one and does not have increased levels of truancy, violence, or other adverse behavior that West may have. An open campus would mean more freedom for juniors and seniors, a reduction of students in the cafeteria potentially spreading COVID, and would benefit local eateries around the school.