A Michigan School District Has Just Banned Backpacks

College students of a public faculty district in Michigan are, as of Monday, banned from carrying backpacks. Flint Group Faculties cited security considerations in unveiling the brand new rule—authorised by the Flint Board of Schooling in a 7-0 vote, per the Hill—which will likely be in place for Ok-12 college students for the rest of the college 12 months. “Throughout the nation, now we have seen a rise in threatening conduct and contraband, together with weapons, being introduced into faculties in any respect ranges,” Superintendent Kevelin Jones wrote in an April 27 announcement, per NPR. Briefly, “backpacks make it simpler for college students to cover weapons.”

Jones acknowledged the transfer, backed by the Flint Police Division, “will affect how students and households put together for his or her days and operations within the classroom.” Nevertheless, “we consider that that is the very best answer for these we serve.” College students will likely be allowed “small purses with private objects (i.e., hygiene merchandise, wallets, keys, telephone, and so forth.), clear plastic baggage with fitness center garments, and lunch packing containers … inside motive,” in keeping with the assertion. Jones instructed backpack searches weren’t adequate, as weapons “might be disassembled and more durable to determine or hidden in pockets, inside books, or below different objects.” And clear backpacks—required by some Texas faculty districts following the college capturing in Uvalde final Might, per ABC Information—”don’t utterly repair this challenge,” both.

“By banning backpacks altogether and including an elevated safety presence throughout the district, we are able to higher management what’s being introduced into our buildings,” Jones wrote. The assertion warns that any pupil who brings a backpack to highschool “will likely be despatched to the workplace, the place they might want to name a mum or dad or guardian to select up their belongings.” Jones tells the Hill that, given the considerations, “we have not had lots of backlash in our group in any respect about this.” It isn’t the primary transfer of its sort. Backpacks had been beforehand banned from excessive faculties in Texas, Illinois, Ohio, and Idaho, per KSL and CBS Information. (Learn extra Michigan tales.)