Waukesha West Principal: Students Complying With Backpack Ban

Despite threats from students to revolt over the backpack ban at , the first week of school went well, according to Principal David Towers.

“Students were great, and they complied,” Tower said. “I think with the new schedule, they were busy with that. They did a really good job of following the rules and adjusting. I can’t thank them enough for their great behavior.”

While students and parents were , most followed the rules. Still, a few Waukesha West students bragged on Facebook that they were able to sneak their backpacks into classes without getting caught.

The rule was changed this school year in attempts to keep people from tripping over the bags or purses and to cut down on contraband materials – drugs and weapons. However, the decision was made by Towers and Waukesha South and Waukesha North are not subject to the rules.

Towers compared rumors about the ban before the school year started to the “telephone game” where the message gets jumbled as it moves through messengers. Towers said rumors that students couldn’t take backpacks to school were false. The backpacks have to stay in the lockers. One-on-one conversations helped dispel the myths, he said.

“They might not agree but can understand it,” Towers said.

“They were great (on the first day of school), and it was a really positive start to our school year,” Towers said. “I couldn’t be more happy. … I was proud of our staff and students.”

But students brought forward concerns about walking back to lockers between classes, and many felt they needed more time to get to their locker.

“It wasn’t the worst but could have been better,” wrote Aaron Sykes on Facebook. “I'm still not looking forward to having to stop at my locker after every class to get the things I need with such a small time in between classes.”

Sykes said he finds it as an “inconvenience” to carry all the materials he needs for class.

“The thing I disliked the most was the fact that I had no way to carry my lunch,” wrote Steven Novak. “It wouldn't be such a big deal if I didn’t have study hall RIGHT before lunch in the cafeteria and have to walk all the way back to my locker.”

Caleb Lovell said he felt like he was in jail on the first day of school.

“I simply cannot comprehend how any reasonably intelligent person can honestly believe our school will be "safer" when any person wishing to bring in guns/drugs/etc. can still just as easily do so now as when we were permitted backpacks,” Lovell wrote.

• See more student reaction here.