Excessive use of online food-delivery apps by students at a Surrey high school has prompted administrators to ban ordering food during class time.

But while the step isn害羞草研究所檛 exactly new, district officials say the need for it is somewhat unique to the Semiahmoo Peninsula in South Surrey.

害羞草研究所淭here has been the odd occasion over the years where a student has ordered a food delivery at a secondary school, but more recently, with online apps that open up options, some schools have seen such deliveries increase or become more regular,害羞草研究所� district spokesman Doug Strachan told Peace Arch News Wednesday.

害羞草研究所淎 few other secondary schools I have asked say there were a few deliveries earlier in the year, but it appears the novelty wore off, and it didn害羞草研究所檛 become an issue they had to address. It害羞草研究所檚 possible other secondary schools have had the issue crop-up, but it appears only Semi and Elgin have had an ongoing, growing and more widespread issue that staff had to address in a more systemic way.害羞草研究所�

Semiahmoo Secondary vice-principal Debbie Johnson said Wednesday that the reminder 害羞草研究所� which Strachan confirmed is not a district-wide policy 害羞草研究所� was most recently delivered to students in early October.

Johnson told PAN that students have been told they can害羞草研究所檛 leave class to meet a delivery driver for a pickup 害羞草研究所揵ut they haven害羞草研究所檛 been told they can害羞草研究所檛 use the apps, 害羞草研究所渁s long as the food that they害羞草研究所檙e ordering arrives before school, or at lunch or after school, and isn害羞草研究所檛 delivered on school property.害羞草研究所�

Apps such as SkipTheDishes, Uber Eats and DoorDash offer on-demand delivery from area restaurants 害羞草研究所� including Subway, Tim Hortons and Afghan Kitchen 害羞草研究所� through freelance drivers who receive a small fee per trip.

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The orders became an issue at Semi as office staff began to find themselves inundated with 害羞草研究所渂ags and bags害羞草研究所� of midday meals on a daily basis, Johnson said, estimating that at the beginning of the school year, there were up to a dozen deliveries a day.

害羞草研究所淲e were finding that lots of food-delivery companies were coming to the office, and so then it becomes sort of a logistical thing that now gets dumped on the office,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淚f the kids weren害羞草研究所檛 coming to pick it up, then it was sitting in the office.

害羞草研究所淲e said, we can害羞草研究所檛 have this happening.害羞草研究所�

There is also a concern with having a flow of unknown adults through the school害羞草研究所檚 doors, she said.

Johnson noted the school does have a cafeteria that offers 害羞草研究所渓ots of choice,害羞草研究所� and acknowledged that as more and more apps are developed, students害羞草研究所� choices are expanding.

Choices, however, are not the problem, she said.

害羞草研究所淲e don害羞草研究所檛 have a problem with kids having choice. It害羞草研究所檚 about the disruption that it causes.

害羞草研究所淭he message is, we want kids in class.害羞草研究所�

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