Middle school lunch periods can be a free-for-all of teasing, rough-housing and flirting among boys and girls trying to impress or intimidate, Reuters reports. But what if schools had separate lunch periods for boys and girls? That is not a hypothetical in Wichita, Kansas, where three middle schools have gone to single-sex lunches. Principals say the new lunch system has reduced misbehavior and helped students focus on eating.
“The girls really seem to like it because they get their girl time without having to worry about boys,” said Michael Archibeque, principal at Pleasant Valley Middle School, which has grades 6, 7 and 8. “And the boys don’t show off for the girls. I think it’s the perfect age for this.”