Almost every high school student can agree that the new backpack rule is irrelevant. As of last week, any student seen carrying a backpack or bag of any sort will be punished as needed, starting with parking passes being taken away, entry denial to extracurricular activities, and even detention. Fret not, the school board has agreed to allow students to carry around mesh or clear backpacks as they believe that this will solve the issue at hand: crowded hallways.

But the administration has gone about this all wrong. Regardless of the amount of kids wearing backpacks, the hallways will always be packed. Rather than trying to fix the already congested hallways by allowing a longer passing periods or releasing student on staggered time intervals, the administration has tried to solve the problem by using a rule that has already been in place for close to 20 years. Senior Cami Hunter stated that “It’s frustrating that backpacks are going to be so strictly monitored. For me when I finish getting ready after first period lifting I barely have time to go to my locker to put my backpack away and get to my second period on time.”

The short passing periods aren’t the only reason for the need of a backpack. Taylor Gau, a senior, comes from Scott in the morning. She stated, “It’s more convenient. Because I come from Scott classes, I am usually carrying around my laptop, and having my backpack makes it much easier to carry around rather than holding it in my hands where it can easily be dropped or knocked from my hands.” If the school administration was genuinely concerned about the hallways, they would be trying everything to make the passing periods run smoother. Instead, they have reinstated an already useless rule.