Students should be able to have free seating every day for many reasons. First, if the students are having an extended class that they don’t have any friends in, it’s a very uncomfortable experience. There are more opportunities to make friends or get closer to friends. Last, students won’t get detention for sitting with their friends.
When a student is sitting at an assigned lunch table with no friends or even if they are sitting with people but left out from conversations, it’s not an appealing situation. And for some students, it’s really hard to make new friends so when they can sit with the people they know and are comfortable with, it generally makes them happier and gives them something to look forward to throughout the day.
Imagine this, you have to sit with people you don’t know and have tried to be friends with them but it doesn’t work out. So you sit with other people that you are friends with and don’t leave you out, but then get a consequence for doing so.
In conclusion, students should be allowed to have free seating without getting consequences or having to “earn it”.
