PARKLAND, FL – Marjory Stoneman Douglass High School District and school administration are receiving major backlash from students and some community members when they announced the new school policy requiring students to wear clear backpacks while in school.

The policy comes in reaction to the recent tragic shooting that killed 17 on February 14th earlier in the year.

Stoneman Douglass students have been the most active in recent history arguing for safety reforms and have led students across the nation in walk-outs and marches, yet they are resisting, vocally, a basic policy enacted at their school specifically on the grounds that it is not the kind of useful reform that will work to insure real safety

Some teachers and many students alike are outraged because they don’t feel this measure is preventive enough. “I know having clear backpacks will help with security, but now all my privacy will be gone,” Lizzie McNichol wrote on Twitter. “I wish it didn’t come to this.” I  empathize for Lizzie and both her experience and loses.

The push for more safety reforms brings front and center the classic argument that has pitted those who desire safety and security over those who desire the right to freedom and privacy.

Communities generation after generation have to negotiate and come to consensus regarding which good outweighs the other.

Even two of the  framers of the Constitution battled over which is more important, liberty or security. Alexander Hamilton believed, “stability and order in Government ..are essential to public strength and private security and happiness.” In stark contrast to Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson argued, “private happiness is the source, not the result of, a stable government.” Or a citizenry dependent on the government couldn’t be independent.

And so goes the debate of the clear backpack. Its obvious that clear backpacks aren’t the only solution that needs to be made. The school also announced that there will be extra security plus all student and staff must wear a visible ID badge at all times.

Lizzie McNichol isn’t the only student criticizing the new rules. Her fellow activist friend, Sam Fuentes recently tweeted saying “There’s a CLEAR line between public safety and invasion of privacy. That line is crossed at transparent backpacks.” This illusion  of privacy is strongly instilled in millennials. There really isn’t such a thing as privacy in today’s age. With various social networks, things are rarely left to the imagination.

And, of course, there is the impractical-crammed-full-of-books and notebooks backpack, blear or not that is truly just not going to be transparent.

Many students are also asking the question how will this protect us from gun violence. This new clear backpack rule probably won’t end school shootings all together, but it can definitely give the school some incite about their students and those who might be dangerous. Likewise to the way sporting events allow you to only bring clear bags.

Hearing about this story made me inquire how students at out school would react.

I asked a local Hillsboro student how they would feel if our school was in similar situation.

They said if that’s what it took to make the school safer they would to it.

Most people I asked gave a similar response. I suppose the only real way of knowing is if it happened to us.

The only thing we can do is support the Stoneman Douglas students and staff, but firstly protect their safety.