Lexington City Schools to reinstate clear

LEXINGTON – Lexington City Schools will reinstate its policy allowing students to carry only clear bags in the next school year.

Under the policy, all bags – including book bags, lunch bags, pocketbooks and athletic bags – must be clear. The policy does not include colored mesh bags. This policy is for students in kindergarten through high school only and does not include staff.

In July, the school district announced it was implementing a clear bag policy in an effort to be proactive in maintaining school safety. But during a special called meeting a few weeks later the Lexington City Board of Education decided to retract the policy because a lack of availability of the products before the first day of school on Aug. 29.

The school board voted unanimously Tuesday to start implementing the policy for the 2023-24 school year.

David Miller, assistant superintendent of operations for Lexington City Schools, said he wanted to go ahead and announce the policy now to give students, parents and non-profits who supply bookbags to students plenty of time to purchase suitable bags.

"It's April, and we have four months before we get to August, when school starts. We need to publicize it and get it out there," Miller said. "We now have been researching, and we have found on almost every online (retail) platform ... that they have a wide range of clear bags. The prices are significantly lower than last year, we have seen them a low as $14."

Currently students at Lexington Middle School and Lexington Senior High School are required to go through a metal detector and have their bags inspected before entering the school. Part of the reason the school board proposed the clear bag policy is to decrease the amount of time staff and students spent on this daily process.

"It is in line with what most schools are doing across the country, and I think it will really help," Miller said "If you can see through the bags coming in, we can see if there is a weapon. It will speed up the entry into the schools, and it will free up the amount of staff we are tying up checking bags every day."

Miller said the school district will have examples of acceptable bags and where to purchase them on its website and will send more information to parents and students in the coming months.

Although the school board members said there are some clarifications and tweaks that needed to be made, the most important topic is the safety of the staff and students.

Board member Angela McDuffie said, "With everything that is going on (today) you can't be too careful."