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Parents, students press SAISD over Lakeview closed-campus lunch; superintendent defends move as safety measure
Summary
Dozens of parents and students told the San Angelo ISD board that Lakeview High's closed-campus lunch policy has left students crowding cafeterias and, in some cases, without meals. Superintendent Doctor Gomez said the change protects instructional time and student safety and promised follow-up actions.
Parents, students and community members pressed the San Angelo Independent School District board Tuesday night over closed-campus lunch at Lakeview High School, saying the policy has created overcrowding, long lines and instances of students missing full meals.
At a public comment period, Lakeview parent Sarah Alexander told trustees, “children are indeed going hungry, and it is a lie to say that they are not,” and urged the board to “restore open campus lunch for juniors and seniors at minimum.” Other speakers, including parent Ashley Saldivar and student Kayla Villa, described students eating on floors or stairwells, receiving only mashed potatoes on some days and experiencing lightheadedness or anxiety because they could not get a full meal within the allotted time.
Why it matters: The dispute involves student nutrition, safety and equity across campuses. Commenters said Lakeview students are being treated differently than peers at Central High School, which remains an open campus pending its planned infrastructure work. Several speakers warned of escalating protests, including a planned walkout if conditions do not improve.
District response and context: Superintendent Doctor Gomez said closed campus at Lakeview was implemented to protect instructional time and improve safety. “Lakeview is gonna find themselves at an advantage because they will have a protected instructional day,” Gomez said, adding that the district has tried to address supply hiccups and that central administrators have eaten lunch at Lakeview to observe conditions. He acknowledged a recent single-day shortage of chicken nuggets and praised Tiffany Hiebert and the child nutrition staff for pivoting to serve students.
Gomez tied the decision to broader constraints: cafeteria capacity, staffing and state safety requirements. He said Central’s cafeteria cannot safely serve its larger student population under a closed-campus plan until bond-funded facilities work is complete. He also said the district is trying to balance safety measures required by law — such as fencing and SROs — with instructional goals.
What parents reported: Speakers provided specific on-the-ground details. Virgil Paccetti said he counted about 90 chairs in a cafeteria with an occupancy sign of 300 and contested the district’s assertion that the facility could safely serve 520 people. Ashley Saldivar, whose child has medical needs requiring frequent restroom access, said restrictive bathroom protocols and limited lunch time were harming some students’ health and learning.
Board action and next steps: Trustees did not take immediate policy action at the meeting. Kingman, the board president, said staff were working on a formal response and asked for time to provide follow-up outside the public comment period. Gomez said administrators are monitoring the cafeteria service, and district staff have eaten lunches at Lakeview to assess operations. Parents asked for timelines and infrastructure fixes and requested equal treatment for Lakeview and Central.
Ending: The board did not vote on changes to lunch or campus access at the meeting. Parents and students said they will continue to press the district for a solution; district leaders said they will report back with more specific operational data and steps to address food service and safety concerns.
