The Great Locker Debate

Several years ago, the Pasadena Unified School District decided to eliminate student lockers for fear that they would become hiding places for drugs or weapons. Now, parents are asking school officials to rethink the locker ban, citing the physical hardships posed by having to carry books and supplies. One parent suggested locker doors made of see-through plexiglass. KATHRYN MacLAREN spoke to students.

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LONNY DORTCH

11, fifth grade, Washington Middle School

Our school does not have lockers and I don’t think that makes it any safer for us just because the bad kids can’t use lockers to store their guns. We have had a lot of problems with kids bringing weapons to school, especially knives. We have seven security guards who check you at the gate. I still don’t feel safe at my school.

I have a lot of books to carry every day in my backpack. I put a cushion on my shoulder to keep my pack from hurting my shoulder.

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NATALIE RICO

11, sixth grade, South Pasadena Middle School

At my school we still have lockers so I don’t have to carry all my books home and around all day. It would be too heavy for me if I had to carry everything. They inspect our lockers about once a week and bring dogs who smell for drugs. I do feel that it is an invasion of privacy. We have gangs at our school who threaten you.

I don’t feel safe at school because of the gangs; strange people can come on the school grounds, we have no security at our school. We can’t bring backpacks into class, only a folder, writing utensils and the book for that class.

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RUBEN NIEVES

12, seventh grade, Washington Middle School

We only have gym lockers at my school. The other lockers are covered up with boards because they were being used to hide things like guns. It has helped with that problem.

It makes me feel safe, even though my backpack is very heavy and gives me a backache.

I think that clear lockers are a good idea and I don’t think it violates my privacy.

We get stamps on a card for bringing our books to class, which affects our grade for participation in class, so I always bring my books. About 80% of the students don’t bring their books.

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DESHAWN FREEMAN

13, seventh grade, Wilson Middle School

Lockers are necessary. Our school has an open campus with no security. Carrying my backpack all day gets me very tired. I think that clear lockers would be OK; better than no lockers because at least I could store my heavy books in between classes. Carrying them all day gives me a backache and it hurts my arms.

My school does not have two sets of books--one for class and one for home. That would be a lot better. I just wish we could use lockers. Right now my school is experimenting with 22 plexiglass lockers. I don’t think it violates my rights at all.

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REANNE MANSON

12, seventh grade, Norma Coombs Alternative School

My school has no lockers. I carry a backpack but it’s not very heavy because it’s mostly just pens and paper. They have tried to work it out so it minimizes carrying the heavy books around. Plexiglass lockers would be OK. It would depend on what was in them; I think that it is an invasion of privacy because it’s no one’s business what I would put in my locker.

My school does not have problems with people carrying weapons or drugs. They never inspect us or our backpacks. We have security at our school, campus aides roam around and keep everything maintained and in order. Our school doesn’t have tall gates like other schools, but nobody comes in to start trouble.