MUSKOGEE, Okla. -- Muskogee high school students are passing around petitions after many expressed their concerns over changes during lunch.
One petition is about the new policy created this school year to not allow students to wander around during lunch.
Muskogee High School Principal Kim Fleak says they created this rule for safety reasons, so teachers can see everyone in the cafeteria, and students aren't blocking any doors or walkways.
They also shortened the lunch period from 25 to 21 minutes, and added extra time to the class periods.
The second petition involves fines students receive for being late.
A student involved in creating the petitions says students who are late to class four times within four weeks can be charged $250.
According to Principal Fleak, this is a state policy. The law says unexcused tardiness and absences must be submitted to the District Attorney.
The fines are set by the state with discretion from the judge, to determine the amount, which could be up to $250.
"If we didn't say anything nothing else would have been done, everybody would have just went on and still be angry about what they did at the school," said Abigail Cochran, a Muskogee High School student who started the petitions.
The lunchtime petition already collected more than 400 signatures from students.
They plan to turn the petitions in next week.
