Autauga schools delay switch to clear backpacks
PRATTVILLE - The Autauga County Board of Education is delaying implementation of a clear backpack policy until at least next academic year.
The board passed the policy Feb. 7 after two handguns were found, one at Prattville High School and one at Prattville Junior High School, over a period of about three weeks. In both incidents other students told school officials about the guns and no one was injured.
The policy was set to go into effect Feb. 21 but that has been pushed back, said Superintendent Tim Tidmore. The plan was to discuss the matter with school officials.
"We want to talk more with school administrators. We are getting feedback from parents," Tidmore said. "We want to get as much information as possible before setting the policy in place."
Tidmore said he expects the policy to be in place by the next school year.
Right now the clear bag policy covers only Prattville Junior High and Prattville High schools.
The affected schools have a combined enrollment of about 3,000, which is about a third of the system’s total enrollment of about 9,000. Online prices on clear backpacks ranged this week from about $15 to more than $30.
The system has 14 schools, including the technology center and Second Chance, the system’s alternative school.
There are questions about the policy including whether it covers purses and athletic bags, which schools will fall under the policy and potential discipline for students who don't use clear backpacks not using them.
"Those are all questions that need to be answered," Tidmore said, adding that the changes would be additions to the Student Code of Conduct. "This is not a simple change, there are numerous things to consider. We want the final policy to be as efficient as possible and to be implemented as easily as possible."
Contact Montgomery Advertiser reporter Marty Roney at mroney@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Autauga schools delay switch to clear backpacks
