CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Corpus Christi Independent School District is joining other districts around the state of Texas in requiring students to use clear backpacks on all campuses.
During a Monday meeting with the Board of Trustees, school board members voted to fund $247,000 in support of the district's added policy. This is in response to the dedicated safety measures school districts across the U.S. are imposing following recent violent events that happen on school campuses.
CCISD says requiring students to use clear backpacks will help prevent them from bringing weapons, vape materials, toys and other items that should not be on campus.
"We are committed to taking all actions necessary to maximize safety as well as academic focus in our schools," Superintendent Roland Hernandez said in a press release, "Clear backpacks are a tool to help deter students from bringing harmful items to school.
Students will also be allowed to have a mesh pouch, no larger than 5.5 inches by 8.5 inches within the backpack for personal items. In addition to these requirements, student-athletes and others involved in extra-curricular activities will have to store their gear/equipment bags in a designated area when arriving to school.
Other districts in the Coastal Bend like Beeville ISD have already implemented this rule for students since last year. The district serves more than 3,000 students and the superintendent, Travis Fanning, says the main focus is to protect students when they step foot on campus.
“From superintendents to police officers, to classroom teachers, to board of trustees, our number one concern each and every single day is to ensure that we send students home the way that their parents sent them to us," said Fanning.
Not only is the clear backpack policy in place for students, but staff and faculty are also adhering to the protocol to lead by example.So far, Fanning says implementing clear backpacks for all district schools has worked successfully in conjunction with other safety measures put in place.
"Actually, it's been going very well," said Fanning, "What we have found is that our clear backpacks is just another layer of systems that we’ve put in place for safety and security. This, along with our PD department, our clear backpacks, the vestibules, requiring students to wear IDs on a regular basis.”
With CCISD announcing their new policy, Dr. Kristina Kahil, the principal at Faye Webb Elementary School says this is a step in the right direction in monitoring what goes in and out of schools.
"That being on our priority list to be aware of what's hanging in classrooms, what's coming in when parents are dropping their kids off, we're able to see their backpack. I know that I have drop off duty every morning and I'm actually looking as they're walking away at their backpack to see if they have their books, supplies and nothing else that may harm themselves or other students."
CCISD's clear backpack policy goes into effect the upcoming 2023-2024 school year.
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