Book Bags, Safety & Two Sets of Rules By Alexandrea Savard

The school's new book bag rule generated a lot of debate early in the semester.  Sophomores seem to care the most, because they're supposed to leave their backpacks out of the classroom, while juniors and seniors can carry their bags everywhere. Sophomores are afraid they will be late for classes, miss a bus, or forget something in their locker. They want their bags with them.

Students seem to agree that backpacks on the floor create safety problems,  but they argue that it's  already difficult to get to class on time without a trip to the locker. It's just more convenient and efficient to have your bag with you in class. Teachers, of course, say students have plenty of time to go anywhere all day.

Safety is a huge issue with book bags. One issue students don't often consider is that nobody but you knows what's inside your bag. In countries where citizens face more national security issues than we do, leaving a book bag on the ground, unattended, is considered dangerous. There could be something inside the bag that can hurt people. Other safety issues are simpler – if the fire alarms go off people can trip over the book bags, making it more difficult to get out of the building on time. 

And then there are health issues.  Students go to the school nurse all the time with back pain. Could we reduce the traffic of students leaving class for the nurse's office if we reduce the weight on students' backs? Think about it.

Getting to class on time shouldn’t be an issue. The time between classes has been extended this year.

Unfortunately, there's a fair amount of circumstantial evidence that shows PRHS kids don't know how to operate a combination lock, a situation that will make some hesitant to stuff their backpack in the locker. 

“I think that if they are going to to make kids keep their bags in their lockers, they should have key locks on them or they should have no locks at all on them, because there are a lot of kids in the high school who can't use a combination lock,” said Kristopher Lugner, a PRHS senior.

And let's not forget the resentment that sophomores feel about different sets of rules for them and upperclassmen.

“I really don't like it at all, but I think that eventually we'll have to get used to it, “ sophomore Natasha Thoits said about the new book bag rule. “It's not that bad, we just need to adjust. But what I can't stand is that only freshmen and sophomores are the ones who have to follow this rule. Freshmen are used to using their binders and stuff, while sophomores are already adjusted to using their backpacks.  Juniors and seniors should have to follow this rule as well.” 

Which raises an obvious issue. If backpacks in the classroom are such a safety concern, why does this concern apply for only half the school?