Essay about political participation as solution for a mundane problem

By Willi Patzelt

I think at least almost every German student – perhaps English students as well – has the same
problem like me: After one hard school day you need in the lunch time a nice, healthy and
delicious meal for continuing your day and for staying concentrated and good at school. But
In my school in Germany the food is not nearly like this. The meals are not healthy and not
even delicious. So the most students go for having lunch to fast food restaurants. I think that
is a shame, which should be changed.
But what can we do for changing it, for making it better? Well, it is important for every school
that pupils participate in in the everyday life of a school. But which tool of (political)
participation would be the right one? I think it would be very helpful to make a petition
because often say the responsible teachers: “I mean, just because you don’t like the food,
that’s not a reason to change the provider”. So we could proof that it is not just a single person
who does not like the food. If this should not work it is maybe an idea to boycott the cafeteria
for one day and make a demonstration in the school, maybe on the schoolyard. Another
possibility would be to arrange a referendum about this issue with the simple question,
whether the school should change the provider or not.
That are ways which may help in such a situation, at least in “normal cases”. In my school in
Germany are those forms of participation unfortunately very senseless because our head
teacher is married with the boss of the lunch provider. We tried to talk to the responsible
persons, but as of yet there was no chance. Alas!