Moon High School Administrators recently made the controversial decision to go back to pre-pandemic policies of not allowing students to carry their backpacks from class to class. Included in the policy is a clause that allows for small purses, and a grace period for figuring out the best routes to class.
Cited as a reason for this policy was safety of the students, as gun violence concerns in school systems grow around the nation. Many other schools in the Pittsburgh area have adopted policies similar to this.
A specific instance of these policies is at the Albert Gallatin School District, which is around an hour away in Uniontown, PA. Albert Gallatin chose to implement a clear bag policy at the elementary and middle school level. The high school already has bag sensors and metal detectors, but the district decided the clear bags would be an extra precaution, as opposed to adding costly detectors to the lower schools.
There are many policies similar to these, notably in inner-city schools, such as the Pittsburgh Public School District. Students are not permitted to carry backpacks at all, except for clear ones in some cases. These schools have also implemented metal detectors, much like Albert Gallatin.
These new school policies come after a time of long-standing bag policies in stadiums and public places. Both the Petersen Events Center and Acrisure Stadium have strict limits on both the kind and size of bag that can be brought into events.
These policies have been updated over time to reflect the state of the world. It is important to note that gun violence in schools is a serious issue plaguing the country, and the safety of the students must always be held in the highest regard. All schools and public events centers have implemented these policies with safety in mind and have talked to law enforcement officers before making any decisions.