Backpack ban draws mixed reactions

Students not being able to bring backpacks on the last three days of school has generated complaints.

“I think it’s really stupid because we need our stuff,” sophomore Alexis Vander said. “I keep bringing in stuff that I don’t need, like today I couldn’t turn in my style matters for journalism and we need our regular backpacks because we’re supposed to study for other classes. We need stuff for our exams, and we don’t even know why we can’t have them.”

If a teacher or faculty member sees a student with a backpack they’re required to confiscate until the end of the day.

“One of the teachers at West Shore was pointing at my backpack and I wasn’t with it and you’re not supposed to take it when the student is not by it,” Vander said. “But she sat down and was staring at it, so as soon as she got distracted I had to grab it and run away and she kept chasing me.”

Other students aren’t as affected by the change as much.

“Honestly I love not having to bring a backpack because it means less things for me to carry around because my bag gets really heavy with everything in it,” freshman Katie Perez said. “Not having backpacks doesn’t really affect me, but I am more likely to forget something because I transfer my things from my normal backpack to a smaller bag and sometimes I forget everything I need for one certain day.”

By Krystal Macom