Backpack ban nothing new, but this time BCPS says it's a safety measure for end of school year
FORT LAUDERDALE – Starting June 7, students in Broward County Public Schools will no longer be allowed to take their backpacks to school for their last days of school.
"One of the most important things right now is just clear the air, I think people are under the false impression that we're doing this as something that has occurred," said Broward Superintendent Vickie Cartwright.
It's a policy that Cartwright told reporters had not been uniform at every single school in the district until now.
"We recognize that unfortunately due to the violence that is happening across our nation right now it does have a lot of our constituents on needles, and we respect that and understand but again the book bags staying at home is very specific; it's just to have that consistency across the entire school district," she further explained.
Some say this is nothing new. Historically, the need to ban bookbags at the end of the year came out of the need to minimize pranks and disruptions. Now, it's also part of the discussion on safety.
"I brought this to Superintendent Cartwright as recommendations," said school board memember Lori Alhadeff.
Alhadeff, whose daughter was killed in the Parkland shooting, believes there is a need to expand the ban, all the way up to the last two weeks of school.
"Again, being very proactive to prevent any type of weapon from getting into our schools."
The warning was distributed to families last week.
"I don't know if he feels any different, he just knows he's not taking a book bag," Rudy Miret said.
Miret has three grandchildren in school in Pembroke Pines. He doesn't consider the policy to be inconvenient.
"Does it make me feel any better? It kind of does," he added.
There will be exceptions for students with special needs.
In Miami-Dade, bookbags are also not allowed starting Monday through Wednesday – the last day off school.