After a semester, new backpack rules still have students frustrated

Administration says that the new policy brings added security

Clear+backpacks+are+designed+so+that+prohibited+items+cannot+be+concealed.

Clear backpacks are designed so that prohibited items cannot be concealed.

Kelsie Williams, Feature Writer

“I was like, why?”

That was what Jarame Crawford, a senior at Hazelwood Central High School, thought when he found out about the clear or mesh backpack requirement for the 2016-2017 school year.

Many students felt the same way when they first heard about the requirement, especially since they are the only high school in the Hazelwood School District that has to adhere to the new requirement.

Students feel like their privacy is being exploited when it comes to this new requirement.

“We have no privacy and other schools do,” said junior Javon Kirk.

Members of the administration, however, feel differently about the new requirement they have enforced this school year.

“The clear backpack requirement is a safety issue,” said Mr. Brandon, 10th grade Assistant Principal at Hazelwood Central.

“The backpack function is to carry books and other materials from class to class. The safety issue occurs because in a traditional backpack, it is big enough to store things you should not have for class. So the clear or mesh backpack accomplishes the same concept of a traditional backpack. However, the safety issue subsides because everyone can see what you have,” explained Principal Brandon.

The new requirement solved the concern administration had but has created a backlash in doing so.

“Yes, there has been less problems with people bringing things that they should not have. It also has led to more referrals  for students not complying to the expectation but we have cut down on different things that you should not have here at schools as we did before,” said Brandon.

The burning question that many students had was why they were the only Hazelwood high school that had this new requirement.

“Every school in the district can have variations on certain things. When we met as a leadership team over the summer we thought that this issue was important enough to act on. We decided to do it to be ahead of the curve,” said Brandon.

This explanation, however, does not make some students feel better, and they think that the administration is being too proactive in insuring their safety.

“Why is it such a big deal in this school and not at other schools?” said Kourtney White, junior.