South Florida colleges will solely permit clear backpacks subsequent 12 months for college security

One of many largest faculty districts in Florida will permit college students to hold solely clear backpacks subsequent 12 months in a measure aimed toward rising faculty security.

Broward County Public Faculties officers introduced Friday that the brand new coverage will go into impact on Aug. 21 and in addition contains lunch packing containers, purses, duffel luggage, and fanny packs.

The choice, which impacts greater than 260,000 college students, comes greater than 5 years after 17 have been killed throughout a taking pictures at Marjory Stoneman Douglas Excessive College in Parkland, Florida, on Valentine’s Day 2018.

Marjory Stoneman Douglas Excessive College, which is in Broward County, only allowed see-through backpacks within the 5 months following the taking pictures earlier than scrapping the coverage in August 2018.

“This added layer of safety is a game-changer,” Broward County Public Faculties Interim Superintendent Earlean Smiley mentioned.

“It should permit faculty safety personnel and everybody on campus to rapidly spot and report if somebody has introduced a prohibited merchandise to high school, and it’ll additionally assist function a deterrent.”

There will probably be just a few exceptions to the rule, based on the announcement.

College students will probably be allowed convey small non-transparent pouches for private hygiene objects, thermal meals containers, and school-approved instances for both athletic or band tools.

Some students told CBS Miami that they aren’t thrilled with the change.

“I don’t prefer it. Just like the folks is taking a look at what I’ve in my backpack, you understand, I don’t really feel nice with that,” one scholar mentioned.

“Actually, I feel it’s not truthful for the people who find themselves unrelated to any gang stuff and unhealthy issues generally,” one other mentioned.

“I feel it’s an invasion of privateness. If they are surely going to convey weapons and stuff to high school, I feel that they are going to discover a strategy to like, to convey them, and so I don’t assume the clear backpacks are a very good cause.”

College officers mentioned that the rule will apply to all college students from pre-Ok by twelfth grade, however is not going to embody lecturers, workers, volunteers and guests.

Broward County, which incorporates Fort Lauderdale, is the state’s second-largest faculty district, second solely to Miami-Dade.