Ever since the school year of 2022-2023 started, there has been a new bag rule set in place, and it leaves students with questions. 

The regulation goes as followed: Students are not allowed to carry around a bag larger than a small purse that isn’t clear or mesh. If you decide to bring in a bag that doesn’t adhere to the requirements it needs to be kept in your locker. But is it that simple?

There have been a few students worried about where to keep their menstrual products and other necessities that would be seen as embarrassing or invasive to carry by hand. ” I do find it invasive when I am at that time of the month.” Says  Junior Nicole Diaz. “I’m uncomfortable with knowing that someone could figure it out just by looking at my bag.” Many are also concerned about how this protects students when things like bulletproof backpacks are being manufactured for our use in the event of a shooting. 

There is an assumption that the bag rule had a relation to the Texas shooting that occurred earlier this year. The tragic event left 19 students and 2 teachers dead, and many others wounded. 

It should be made clear that if our government had established sensible gun legislation, like stricter background checks and the availability of guns not being so accessible,  our bags would not be an issue. 

Our government is getting too comfortable with shootings. Meaning instead of actually doing something about our easy accessibility to guns, they’ve made it so that we’re now adapting to a society that values guns over the lives of children and people in general. 

Adapting to a society that doesn’t trust its students anymore. We’re taking the fall for our government’s lack of concern for its citizens. Children as little as six are now being taught by their parents how to play dead or protect themselves in the event of a shooting. We are children. We go to school for an education and a social life. We don’t come to school just to adapt to the threat of a school shooting. We shouldn’t have to at all. 

“I don’t think this rule is necessary because we wouldn’t be in this much stress over our bags if our country established proper gun laws.” Says Diaz. 

The popular brand manufacturing bulletproof backpacks is called Leatherback Gear. They specialize in making protective backpacks for students, and it’s heartbreaking that this is what feels necessary now. 

It is a bit worrying, however, that if someone were to own a bulletproof backpack, they’d need to keep it in their locker, making it pretty much useless in defense.

 This new bag rule is an emphasis on the lack of trust that our school has left in its students, and it can make our school environment feel less comfortable.