Students must wear I.D.s with school-provided lanyards

Students must wear lanyards displaying  I.D. cards starting Feb. 4.

“Shortly after the situation in Connecticut, we had many meetings with the local police and the school police department to figure out more ways to ensure safety in the school, and this is a thing that is prevalent in a lot of other school districts,” eighth grade Assistant Principal Brad Hatch said.

“Wearing the I.D.’s will make identifying the students easier.  Now we can see all student’s I.D.s being displayed instead of just having them carry them,”  ninth grade Assistant Principal Jerry Koehle said.

“For many years we have been discussing this, but until recent events, we never had an excuse to make it (wearing I.D.s and lanyards) a reality,” Principal Lori Mangan said.  “We wanted to have something that we can visibly identify with the people that should and shouldn’t be in school.”

Mangan emphasized the importance of safety within the school.

“Really, you guys should be carrying around your I.D.’s with you anyway. So today [Thursday, Jan. 24] the ninth graders should be getting their I.D.’s punched; and tomorrow in first period, because it’s their CBL period, seventh grade will be getting theirs punched and eighth grade will get theirs punched in second period,” Mangan said.

“The first week is sort of a test period where we will just give warnings and allow you guys to get used to [the lanyards]. After that first week, punishments will be given out according to the code of conduct [1 day after-school detention for forgetting, or otherwise]. I think one of the problems might be students getting used to wearing [the lanyards]; that is going to take some time. A lot of people are probably going to ‘forget’,” Mangan said. “Of course, if a student would outright refuse to wear the lanyard, they would be written up for insubordination, in addition to not wearing I.D.”

In addition to the punishments, Mangan also brought up the good that can come out of this form of teacher-student identification.

“For the new students, substitutes and teachers with different classes, these will help them learn names a bit quicker,” Mangan said.

“(Some good things that could come out of the I.D. are) safety, and also responsibility.  Many jobs in the real world require I.D.s; it also helps with ownership,” ninth grade counselor Julie Yahner said.