Recently Dekalb High School has announced that children will be prohibited from bringing backpacks from class to class for safety issues. I understand completely, the drug issues and violence has increased since covid hit. However, banning backpacks from class to class will not keep us safe. Drug deals will continue as students can hide drugs and possibly weapons in their clothes. What needs to happen is metal detectors and drug sniffing dogs, which will actually be effective and will keep students safe. Wearing student ID’s on a lanyard, and not allowing backpacks seems more of a punishment on struggling students after a worldwide traumatizing event than we have received empathy. We should have security to make students feel safe, as school shootings in America are widespread and incredibly common. Not to mention the recent armed robberies committed by teens in the area. Keep us safe, banning backpacks won’t keep drug deals or guns out of the school, it will make good students tardy and is inherently inconvenient for women to carry around sanitary items. Instill rules that work. Install metal detectors. Bring in drug sniffing dogs. Do not take away backpacks.