(WJET) — Students in the Erie School District are seeing some changes impacting something they bring with them every day — Their backpacks.
“All of our students will be required to carry a clear bag. Today, some of the buildings have started distributing them,” said Neal Brokman, assistant superintendent of the Erie School District.
This policy pertains to all bags, including purses, duffle bags, fanny packs, cross-body bags, extracurricular bags, satchels and more.
District representatives said it’s a commitment to student safety and the efficiency of screenings.
“They open up every bag, they look through it, then the students walk through a metal detector. With this process, considering you have a clear bag, you can hold it up and see what’s in there, it will cut down on the amount of time it takes to have students enter the building,” said Brokman.
The bags were purchased by the district with grant funding, with privacy pouches also being given out to hide hygienic needs.
But after this year, parents will have to buy them on their own.
The bags distributed range based on the kids’ ages. Some in elementary school may be getting smaller backpacks, but those in high school will have bigger ones.
There have been lots of mixed opinions from parents on the new policy.
We asked parents on our Facebook page to comment on those changes and got hundreds of reactions.
Some parents question the quality of the bags. One weighed in and said:
“Personally, this bag won’t last my son a whole year like the bag he had from the beginning of the year,” said Brianna Conner, a parent.
Others celebrate the personality kids can have with a unique backpack selection. One parent said:
“I understand it, but at the same time I feel bad for my kids and other kids that wanted to have characters and designs on their book bags.”
However, there are those who see this as a needed step to ensure student safety. Another parent wrote:
“Glad to see a school stepping up and at least trying to limit what is brought into their educational setting.”
“If they do not have one, then they’ll have to leave their old bookbag in the office and they’ll have to go the rest of the day without it and we’ll give them a new one. That’s part of the reason why as a district we decided that we wanted to purchase the first clear bag for all of the kids so that everyone has one and it’s equal footing and everyone has what they need to comply with the policy,” said Brokman.
For more rules and frequently asked questions about the bags, click here.
#Clear #bag #policy #begins #Erie #School #District #Local #parents #weigh #change
Leave a Reply