Source: K975 / R1 Digital
People attending a Wake County Public School System high school basketball game, concert or other spectator event would have to carry their belongings in a clear bag under a rule the system plans to implement later this year.
The Wake County Board of Education’s policy committee briefly gave feedback Tuesday on the new rule, partly praising it and partly raising questions about what would happen if students needed to bring their backpacks with them. The rule will be implemented as soon as the school system can work with principals and schools on how to do so. There’s no date set for implementation.
Although the rule was on the policy committee’s agenda, system officials aren’t asking the board to approve it as an official policy, which allows officials to adjust the rule as they roll it out. They plan to review it 30 days after implementing it to see how well it’s working.
“I think it’s a real smart, good idea,” Board Member Sam Hershey said. “It adds an extra layer of security for our high schools.”
The board’s safety and security committee was scheduled to discuss the proposal in November. The board tabled it in favor of an emergency closed session to discuss other safety measures, following a fatal stabbing at Southeast Raleigh High School the day before.
The intent of the clear bag rule is to deter people from bringing knives or other weapons to plays or sporting events or other extracurricular activities. People and their bags could be searched upon entry. The rule would apply only to extracurricular events that would have spectators and not to the regular school day.
The new rule, once implemented, would prohibit traditional purses and bags at high school spectator events, instead allowing only clear bags. Exceptions would be made for medical items, containers for period products, certain baby carriers, coats, blankets and seat cushions. People would otherwise be limited to one clear bag that’s 12 inches by 15 inches by 3 inches and one clutch or wristlet bag that’s no more than four inches by six inches by one inch. That means no backpacks or belt bags, unless they’re small and clear.
That’s a concern for some school board members, who noted many students may go straight from school to a football game, for example, and need a place to store their backpacks. Some schools have gotten rid of lockers or cut off access to them once classes end.
Kendrick Scott, the school systems senior director of the Office fo Security, said he’d speak with principals who might already have ways they handle that.
