Do your children's schools require clear or mesh backpacks?

[paigeandmorgansmom]

I was wondering if other schools require mesh or clear backpacks? they say it is for safety. But girls can still carry a purse and kids a lunch box...to me there is no difference. If someone is going to bring in a gun, they can bring it in a lunch box. My youngest started 1st grade and is now upset that she can't carry her princess backpack. Does anyone know of a place on line to get a cute clear or mesh bag?

 

[Simba's Mom]

They've required clear or mesh backpacks in our area for about 6 years now. When they first went to the requirement, they kind of caught the local stores off-guard by making the decision late in the summer, and so hardly any stores around here carried them. DS had to order his from L.L. Bean. There was lots of complaining at first, but it rapidly got accepted.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

No mesh or clear here. In fact my HSdd can carry her backpack in school ALL DAY. They only have 4 classes and no one ever goes to their lockers.

My HSdd carries a big gym bag, a backpack, a purse, a drink cooler, and her saxophone...poor thing.
In fact she needs a BIGGER backpack this year.

My 4th grade dd brings her backpack to school.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

We homeschool--but our friends daughter just started the public school and she had a regular backpack.

 

[disneyatl]

My daughter's school doesn't require clear or mesh book bags BUT...get this one! They don't tell you this upfront but don't spend the money on a backpack - they won't let you carry it! My daughter has to put it in her locker!!! This has really ticked me off! What is the point of getting a back pack!

 

[RitaZ.]

No clear bags or backpacks are required here. My oldest is in high school and they don't have lockers, so he carries his all day long.

 

[cheyita]

My daughter's school doesn't require clear or mesh book bags BUT...get this one! They don't tell you this upfront but don't spend the money on a backpack - they won't let you carry it! My daughter has to put it in her locker!!! This has really ticked me off! What is the point of getting a back pack!

To get books, etc back and forth from school to home? That's how my DDs use their backpacks.

 

[Brianne]

The elementary school doesn't have the rule but the middle school has a no backpack/bookbag in class rule. It has to be left in the locker first thing in the morning.

I think we're going to start seeing more & more of this as years go by.

 

[EeyoreFan1]

http://search.ebay.com/search/searc...action=compare&copagenum=1&coentrypage=search



Would these be ok?

 

[lowie]

i've seen plenty of kids around here at busstops with clear backpacks. i think the school provided them. as a young teenage girl i would have been mortified to carry tampons, etc. in a clear backpack! probably the guys in the district thought that great idea up.

 

[CEDmom]

We're in a new district this year and I sincerely hope this isn't a rule. Last year DD was in 1st grade and I decided to get her an LL Bean rolling backpack to see her through elementary school. At almost $60 I really hope she'll be able to use it.

It really is a sad state of affairs that we have to be concerned that an elementary school student might bring a gun to school. I know there have been instances of that but it's still really sad.

 

[paigeandmorgansmom]

thanks for the link for the mesh bags. I will have to buy 2 of them. thanks for the help.

 

[Becky2005]

To get books, etc back and forth from school to home? That's how my DDs use their backpacks.

Our kid's aren't allowed to carry the backpacks around the school but she certainly needs one to carry all her stuff to & from school.

We don't have the clear backpack requirement. No rolling ones though (at least at middle school level because they won't fit in the lockers -- they are narrow).

 

[georgina]

My kids have regular backpacks. Here they aren't allowed to take them to class because of the overcrowded schools - too much bumping in the halls between classes if they all had bookbags. Oldest Dd uses her Vera Bradley bag instead of a backpack - she really just transports a binder to & from school, the math book stays at school as the homework can be accessed online, other books stay at home as the teachers don't require them to be used in class. She takes a lot of notes in class instead.

 

[Lil_Tink]

My school can have any back pack, but we must keep it in our locker at all times. Honestly, whats the point of a backpack, if it stays in you locker the whole day?


My old school though, you could bring whatever you wanted to school. Most people had mini backpacks/purses and just carried binders. Honestly, if a kids going to bring a gun to school, they will find a way.

 

[Becky2005]

Just curious for those wondering what good a backpack is if you have to leave it in a locker during the day.

Were you able to carry the backpacks to class when you were in school?

I graduated 20 years ago and even back then, we weren't allowed to carry the backpacks around school all day. We went to our lockers to switch books between classes. I certainly wouldn't have wanted to carry my folders, books, papers, etc... home without a backpack, etc...

The only time I carried a backpack around with me was in college.

 

[puffkin]

Its been around for awhile! When I was a freshman in highschool ('94-'95) they banned backpacks at my school. You could carry it into school, but then it had to go straight in your locker. You were only allowed to carry your books. Some students got away with using mesh bags during the day, but they were few and far between. Girls were allowed a small purse and you could only get your lunch bag at lunch time.

BTW, this was pre-columbine and we were a fairly small, rural school district.

 

[cardaway]

My old school though, you could bring whatever you wanted to school. Most people had mini backpacks/purses and just carried binders. Honestly, if a kids going to bring a gun to school, they will find a way.

Especially since many guns are smaller than a backpack.

 

[missypie]

At our middle school, you can have any kind of back pack, but it has to fit into your (tiny) locker. They aren't allowed to carry them to class. At high school (same district, building just across the street!) almost no one bothers to get a locker, and every carries their back packs from class to class. I've never understood the rationale - 8th grade: backpacks forbidden; 9th grade: backpacks pretty much required. ?????????

 

[piratesmate]

Our schools don't allow bags & backpacks during the day because kids & teachers would trip over them. 30 yrs ago we all just carried books & went to our lockers. I don't know why the whole backpack during the day ever started.

The weird thing for us is that the first two days of school the high school students only are required to have clear backpacks. After that no one cares. I've never heard the rationale on that one, but it seems pretty stupid to me! Kids only bring drugs & guns to school the first 2 days?!?!?

And as for tiny lockers...I guess our must be bigger than misspie's district. The backpacks fit in okay, but their winter coats don't! And of course they can't have their coats with them in classes. And no, we don't live in a warm climate where coats are never needed.