SOUTH RIVER, N.J. — After so many mass shootings in faculties, some districts are requiring college students to make use of clear backpacks, and now, one college in Middlesex County has expanded the mandate from highschool college students to elementary and center college.
A brand new college 12 months has begun, and with it, renewed considerations about security.
“Each day I fear. Not in the future I do not fear,” mom Andrea Pereira mentioned.
“You by no means know the place it may occur. It looks as if it might occur anyplace,” a scholar mentioned.
Because of this, college students in any respect South River public faculties are utilizing clear backpacks, some for the primary time.
“I used to be alright with it,” one scholar mentioned.
“Should you do not cover nothing, I imply, it is OK,” one other scholar mentioned.
“There isn’t any room for something in there, and I do not suppose they work,” one other scholar mentioned.
“They’re good for ensuring that college students do not convey weapons into our faculty,” one other scholar mentioned.
In July, a letter was despatched residence to oldsters. The varsity district defined it was refining its present security protocol, requiring clear backpacks in any respect faculties to maintain prohibited objects out. The highschool began utilizing them in 2019.
A petition in opposition to clear backpacks signed by lots of of scholars again then went nowhere.
The varsity district says small purses the dimensions of half a sheet of paper are nonetheless allowed. So too are lunchboxes, however these have to be saved within the lockers.
“A transparent backpack will work, however you possibly can nonetheless roll up a gun in a coat, so it is a good instrument, however you are still gonna must be cautious,” safety and intelligence knowledgeable Brian Boyd mentioned. “You do not need to have the safety folks completely depend on a backpack and perhaps not inspecting. There ought to nonetheless be an inspection step if one thing appears to be like slightly uncommon.”
CBS2 requested the South River public faculties superintendent to remark a number of occasions for this story, however she declined.
Center college mother and father Gainer spoke to say this additional measure is okay with them.
“I believe they did an superior job by doing this as a result of you do not know what youngsters carry,” mom Maria Posadas mentioned.
“It is a bizarre factor to have them stroll round with every little thing see-through of their backpack, but when it is for my child’s security, so be it,” Pereira mentioned.
Alice Gainer
