The clicking of keys as they press down. The bright luminescent light that shines off the screens. These are things that you shouldn’t hear or see in the cafeteria of Solon High School (SHS). In the SHS Cafeteria, no student is allowed to use their Chromebooks at lunch. Why is that?

According to Vice Principal Carla Rodenbucher, one of the main reasons that the rules exist is that while students are in a class, the Chromebooks can be easily monitored. However, when students are out of the classroom and in the cafeteria with so many other students, it becomes more difficult to know what people are doing on the Chromebook.

Rodenbucher does have a point. Even with the Chromebooks blocking most apps and websites, students can still be seen playing games or looking at fantasy football teams.

Teachers at SHS also agree with what Rodenbucher said since they believe it is hard to keep track of what the students are doing on the Chromebook.

“It’s a problem because [it’s hard] to make sure the students aren’t downloading or viewing material that [is] not appropriate for school,” said Mr. Iwan, a history teacher at SHS.

Even students see that  Chromebooks being allowed into the cafeteria is just an accident waiting to happen

“I think the majority [of the students] would play games with the Chromebooks or some others might do homework… I think that most would play games,” said Amy Iheme, a junior.

Mrs. Rodenbucher also said that the second reason for no Chromebooks in the cafeteria is that it’s a time to socialize and decompress. It is a time to just be with your friends or take a moment not to be on electronic devices at all.

Some students at SHS also agree with Rodenbucher’s statement of lunch being a time to just Relax

”I think I’m on my Chromebook for so long during classes that I don’t think I would really use it [in the cafeteria],” Iheme said. “I wouldn’t think about doing homework; I would mostly just show my friends stuff online.”

Holly Hill, a sophomore at SHS agrees with Iheme when she said that she would just use her Chromebook to look at emails or to research something her friends are talking about.

“[I] understand why [the rule] exists. However, sometimes you just want to pull out your computer to research something,” Hill said.

Hill brings up a good point since researching and learning something could be seen as academically productive. While talking about what shoes to buy after school could be used as a way to decompress, shouldn’t the kids that want to study or do research be allowed to utilize Chromebooks?