On Jan. 5, school staff distributed over 1,000 ID badges for middle through high school students to wear on-campus. The badges were implemented both to unlock doors and buildings, and as an additional safety precaution for the campuses.

“As a district, we are constantly wanting to prioritize student safety,” Principal Angi Tims said. “And so this is one additional measure that we could take.”

The size of the student body is one reason why the badges were administered.

“You can imagine people are coming and going a lot, and so it can be very difficult with a campus our size to know every student individually,” Tims said. “And so the ID badges are one way that we can ensure that those who are supposed to be here are allowed to be here.”

Tims said that the badges are not a foolproof system, but are instead designed to discourage those not allowed on the campus from entering.

“Somebody can, you know, try to fake it,” Tims said, “but it’s a deterrent. If people know that in order to be on-campus I have to have an ID badge, then that’s going to deter them from being on campus.”

The decision to implement the badges was made during a committee between multiple levels of administration.

“It wasn’t every single person in administration, but we did have the different levels of administration involved,” Tims said. “District-level administrators, campus-level administrators collaborated to really make the decision.”

Tims said the badges can help prepare students for their futures.

“Another piece to this obviously is always wanting to prepare you guys for what’s next,” Tims said. “When you have a job, most jobs–– and especially professional careers–– are going to have safety plans and measures in place that are going to require something just like this.”

In certain universities and careers, students will be similarly responsible for having and wearing ID badges.

“You go to Lockheed Martin, they have to use it. If you work in a hospital, you have to use it. Most careers are going to require something very similar,” Tims said. “And so this was also a way for us to kind of prepare you for what’s next.”

Principal Tims said the struggle to enforce badges isn’t as big a battle as she had anticipated.

“We’ve got really great students. And so I’ve been pleasantly surprised with the level of compliance that we’ve seen,” Tims said. “Certainly there’s some that have forgotten or misplaced, and I think that we’re working through that and helping students remember and comply.”

But despite complying to the rule, students find that the badges can be bothersome to wear.

“I feel like we should be able to find an option for wearing it–– like, not just around the neck,” junior Madison Warner said. “It’s not that it is interrupting, but at the same time it can be.”

The lanyards can be a distraction to the students or cause them to get annoyed with them being around the neck.

“I’m not against them, however,” senior Libby Kate said. “They are definitely annoying because I don’t like people seeing a picture of me 24/7.”

But students understand the need for lanyards as a security measure.

“I do feel they are definitely necessary because of school shootings and stuff for school, so I do understand why,” Kate said. “They’re definitely a little bit of a nuisance–– but if it can stop school shootings, I understand.”

Though the students were rejective of the new policy, they have begun to comply with the new rule.

“I just appreciate the level of compliance and understanding,” Tims said. “I appreciate the fact that it seems even though there’s grumblings, I know that even if you don’t agree with it and don’t want to wear it all the time, that you at least understand the purpose behind it.”