Having a clear backpack has been a new rule issued by the Peoria Public School Board of Education and will be fully implemented at Richwoods High School in October 2025.
The clear backpack policy was implemented to prevent students from bringing prohibited items to school. It is believed that these clear backpacks will make school safer and easier to prevent any threats towards students or faculty. Clear backpacks allow the school officials to see what is inside students’ backpacks without opening them.
This new rule about clear backpacks was made when the Peoria Public School Board of Education made a unanimous vote on requiring all students from grades 5 to 12 to have clear backpacks. To enhance safety in school, the Board did not just increase the security measure by requiring students to have a clear backpack because they have already installed metal detectors at school entrances and security cameras. The rule about clear backpacks was first discussed in March and will be fully implemented in October of 2025. Schools are selling clear backpacks for about $20.
“So I think it does make everyone safer. We check bags every morning. It’s easier to see in them and you can see if there is something concealed in there. It is a lot easier than if they were not clear backpacks like last year,” said Mr. Robinson, the principal of Richwoods High School. He also thinks this policy will benefit the school as it is “another layer of being safe…another layer of trying to do everything to keep kids and the staff safe.”
Students have also expressed their opinions about the new policy. A freshman stated, “My thoughts are that I believe that the line to get into the school won’t become faster because of the sheer amount of students but they will make us safer and I don’t mind it.” Another student who is a senior said, “I believe that it’s easier for the lines to go quicker as well, but I haven’t seen any significant change safety wise but maybe that will change.” The same student also expressed how the policy affected the experience of the last year of high school. “Some seniors want to wear children’s backpacks which I was looking forward to doing, but can’t because of the new rule. Backpacks are a small way for everyone to express themselves but in this day and age I can see why we would need clear backpacks.”
Mr. Robinson expressed his understanding of how having to purchase a clear backpack can be a burden if you already have a backpack of your own. However, he emphasized that “This is a sad reality we do live in that people want to do these things and we have to take precautions.” Everyone’s safety “is worth a little inconvenience,” said Mr. Robinson.
As far as other future safety measures at the school, Mr. Robinson said the school Board might consider purchasing AI generated security systems to help expedite the line to get the students in time for their first-hour class.
