Indiana High School's Purse Ban Rankles Students

by JeffHuang | September 10, 2008 at 01:29 pm

1007 views | 11 Recommendations | 22 comments

This is an interesting method of keeping students safe. A high school in Indiana has banned bags from handbags, fanny packs, purses, to backpacks in order to keep their students safe. Authorities think this will prevent, or at least cut down on the carriage of drugs and weapons. The controversey arises as the opposers think students needs these bags to develop organizational skills for college and also for girls to carry around personal items.

An Indiana high school is making a bold move to create a safer environment for students -- they've banned students from carrying bags including purses, during the school day. Female students are upset about the changes.

the principal and district administration of Hanover Central School in Cedar Lake would not discuss the matter.

Reactions on the ban:

"It's kind of stupid," said junior Natalie Goetz.

"They said that it was a threat to the students," Goetz said. "And that they needed to stay in the lockers."

"People even got yelled at for carrying fanny packs and too big of a pencil holder, which is ridiculous," said sophomore Emily Brown.

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SOLARLIFE

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 14:56 on September 10th, 2008

JeffHuang, I like this story. It's good stuff. no handbag no weapon. no cosmetics, no nice girls. difficult action.

look at eesome

at 16:46 on September 10th, 2008

It's really quite sad that it's come to this, we're afraid to let students carry their belongings. We should really focus on the bigger issue of student health, if a student wants to carry drugs or weapons they'll find a way to. By banning their bags we are just treating them more like children and preparing them less for the real world.

look at eesome has contributed a photo to this story.

hyperartpro

at 17:55 on September 10th, 2008

hyperartpro has contributed a photo to this story.

dorispepsi

at 18:16 on September 10th, 2008

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DPassarelli

at 21:59 on September 10th, 2008

I don't think this is a good idea to ban all bags in the school. How are the students supposed to carry all their belongings? Its going a bit too far in my opinion.

DPassarelli has contributed a photo to this story.

thetinymonster

at 23:25 on September 10th, 2008

If it's such great idea then why won't those who implemented it speak out in support of their actions? Surely continuing education and support of children is the key to stopping people carrying weapons, not taking away a bag! Also, the bags are kept in lockers so if a kid really has a inkling to pop a cap in someone's ass then it won't be too hard.

DeeUK

at 00:30 on September 11th, 2008

Students have to have some way of carrying their belongings.....Perhaps they'll bring in clear plastic bags for belonings like liquids on airplanes!

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sumicha

at 03:55 on September 11th, 2008

what a bad method of keeping students safe.
i'm sure students will find another way to carry drugs or weapons if they want to.
the school should better think up another ideal idea for such purpose than doing this.

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Paschen

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 04:23 on September 11th, 2008

JeffHuang, I like this story. It's good stuff.

MaryB (not verified)

at 04:56 on September 11th, 2008

Is this not still America, where's our freedom? Where are the teachers? What are students being taught? Taking something away is not TEACHING them anything; it's just that the banned item seems more seductive (drugs and guns). Just teach the children right from wrong and then let them carry bags and everything will be OK. This is ridiculous, if someone wants to carry a gun or drugs, they'll just stick it down there pants.

Emilio Lizardo

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 05:02 on September 11th, 2008

What has happened to schools in America is terrible and scandalous ...

These educators have no idea how to fix their badly broken system ...

For instance, one American city, Detroit, has an illiteracy rate of around 50% in it's high school graduates - half of 'em can't read !!!!

Nobody wants this to happen to their district, so they impose more and more Draconian measures like the ones mentioned in this article - just to keep 'control' of the situation ...

I am so glad I am not a student in public schools these days! And I am very sorry for all the kids today who will never have the chance to get the education many of us in my own generation got and absolutely took for granted.

Good post !

Artsi Bitsi

at 06:36 on September 11th, 2008

I predict that the next big thing will be ankle holsters for tampons! :-)

sidquilts

at 08:47 on September 11th, 2008

Our schools here have RIDICULOUS rules - clear book bags, purse size rules, etc. This size purse (see my photo) is banned at our schools here. One inch smaller is acceptable! (Smaller than the size of a sheet of notebook paper). How does this make sense for student safety? The administration must consider the entire school culture and work on that to prevent weapons. Students who want to make trouble can hide a weapon anywhere - in their pants, wrapped in something hidden in their clear bookbag, in a notebook! What's the point?? It makes things much harder on the majority of students (who are not criminals, by the way) and demoralizes the entire student body. And rights? Any student here can be subject to a BODY SEARCH at any time - our superintendant has said, the students don't have individual rights while at school! !!!

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sidquilts

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 08:48 on September 11th, 2008

JeffHuang, I like this story. It's good stuff.

HamatoKameko

at 10:49 on September 11th, 2008

How in the world are kids supposed to carry the utterly ridiculous amount of school supplies they're required to have now? Not to mention their electronics--most students now have their phones, their mp3 players, some even carry laptops! And to top it off, what of girls who have to carry things such as tampons and pads, which, particularly at that age, are embarrasing enough to need, let alone struggle to carry in plain sight with their pencils and books?

There is a gross invasion of privacy here, not to mention a ridiculous inconvenience for the students--how many will now be punished for being "ill-prepared" for class because they couldn't carry everything they needed in their hands?

Mesh and clear plastic bags I can tolerate, but banning all bags outright is absolutely ridiculous.

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the Sockotic (not verified)

at 15:12 on September 11th, 2008

What's next? Cavity searches? I wonder if 1984 is one of the books Sarah Palin wanted banned.

Tina Kells

at 15:37 on September 11th, 2008

Wow! What will they think of next? No baggy clothes?

lindsayholley

at 02:56 on September 12th, 2008

You cannot ban things, people will always find a way to get around it, its best to have things out in the open.

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monaw2008

at 04:03 on September 12th, 2008

This sounds strange to me here in Germany! I don´t think banning bags from school will keep the students safer! If you want to take a weapon with you you really don´t need a bag!
And what shall the students do with their stuff?? Books, Papers, tissues, lip stick and waht ever they need for the day??

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