There is a rule against students bringing backpacks to school in Frisco ISD and this year the district has been reinforcing it

“The rule for backpacks is you are able to wear a backpack to school and home from school, when you get to school you are to put it in your locker and then  you are to carry all the other things that you’ll need for class and not have a backpack during the school day,” principal Mark Mimms said.

“I think they worry people might bring weapons or drugs or alcohol or just anything that’s just not wanted here in school but I don’t think that fear should dictate that not everyone can have backpacks,” junior Jordan Marcum said.

Some say that Frisco ISD has put this rule in place for the safety of the students and administration.

“I think to state is simply it’s just a safety issue. I know students have a hard time buying into this rule but at the very core of it I think that the intention of the rule is to keep everyone safe and to keep clutter out of the classroom. If everyone had backpacks in the room, I know in my room personally it’s a small room and I trip over people’s stuff all the time so the last thing I need to do is trip over their backpacks to,” English teacher Michael Burwell said.

The district has allowed students to bring drawstring bags to school instead of backpacks for students who have a lot of things to carry.

“The reason we went to drawstring bag is because when you take everything out of a drawstring bag it won’t take up  lot of room in the classroom that’s one of the reasons that we thought it was a good idea to go to them it was kind of a compromise,” Mimms said.

“A drawstring isn’t as big so maybe if you were trying to get weapons and drugs in you couldn’t get a large quantity in but still I feel like that’s illogical to say that you can have a drawstring which is still a bag,” Marcum said.

One solution to this issue is for students to start using their lockers between classes as well as before and after school.

“Every student has a locker and a locker is a very valuable tool and many students choose not to use their lockers and never learn where their locker is or what the combination is or they decide that their locker is an inconvenience so it’s not going to be an option they would even consider. I think that is the incorrect approach to take and I think that if students were more committed to using their lockers then it wouldn’t be such a hassle or such an annoyance to them to not have a backpack,” Burwell said.

Since Frisco ISD is reinforcing this rule there are consequences to those who break it.

“They’re not supposed to be bringing it to class so if they bring it to class and the teacher has to address it and they know they are not supposed to have one. The way to reinforce that is to say to go back to your locker and when you go back to your locker you’ll be late for class so that’s why they need to get a tardy,” Mimms said.

“Frisco ISD in general are doing their best to take every step possible to make sure this is a safe place and space for students and just covering all bases necessary,” Burwell said.