By Terrence Jenkins
CCC Journalism Program
BLACKWOOD – Some students take exception to the prohibition on card playing in the college cafeteria.
On the tables of the cafeteria are placards with a bullet list of rules of conduct. They include rules against card playing, loud music and the presence of non-students.
Student Gelisa Givens says she doesn’t see many people who do not belong. “It’s rare that you’ll hear or see a student that doesn’t go there (to CCC). For the most part, everyone is there for their education.”
She says she recalls only one instance of loud music playing and that was when an event was going on. “They would have karaoke in the back part of the cafe and you could hear the music as soon as you walked into the connector building.”
However, card playing has drawn more attention.
The rule about card playing states: “All forms of card playing, games of chance, or gambling is strictly prohibited.” They range from poker and blackjack to go fish.
Although games of chance are not allowed, many students question the use of strategy playing card games, like Yu-Gi-Oh, Pokemon and Digimon.
Students Jamir Smith and Jorge Alovarez say they believe card games of such nature should be permitted in the cafeteria without consequence. Both students are avid Yu-Gi-Oh players and defend the right to be able to play.
“The card games we play aren’t a game of chance. We literally manipulate our decks to give us what we want,” Smith states.
“I think betting money and gambling on school grounds is all on the person. If you’re willing to do it, you’ll do it,” says Alovarez.
Both students admitted to being caught by public safety but neither suffered any reproach for playing the card game.
“I think that he knew that we weren’t causing any harm to anyone around us and we weren’t playing for any type of money,” Smith says.
Two students play a game of Yu-Gi-Oh. By Terrence Jenkins, CCC Journalism Program.