Lockers at CCHS have been bolted shut for a few years now. Should we finally unlock them? Photo Credit: CHEZNEY STEVENS
BY VIRGINIA PENIAS & BLUE KAUFMAN
Lockers Should Be Used By Students
With the new seven class schedule, there is no doubt that students are required to carry a heavier load in their school bags than ever before. Heavy backpacks are inconvenient, painful, and not very safe for the student body and their health. The time of empty lockers not being used is behind us. Although it was once deemed unsafe to have them on school grounds, many schools have reinstated them because current circumstances simply require their assistance.
Most classes require a folder, possibly even a binder. Multiply this by the seven classes you need to have them for, and then cram them into your bag. The problem with this is that a heavy backpack can ruin student’s backs, causing poor posture. The ponderous steps taken by students with a large load on their back are just torturous to watch. According to kidshealth.org, three out of every one hundred teens have scoliosis. This curve in the spine is mainly attributed to carrying heavy objects. Needless to say, students shouldn’t be carrying all of their books, binders, and folders on their backs at once. If lockers were used at school, the strain on student’s bodies and backs would drastically decrease.
Cell phones, iPods, wallets, and other valuables are bought to school with students. Unfortunately, backpacks (and pockets) don’t have locks, giving sneaky students access to these valuables. If these items could be left in a locker, guarded by a sturdy lock with a combination that is known only by you, other students wouldn’t be able to help themselves to a nice new iPhone. Lockers would give students a safe and secure place to hold their belongings and keep them out of the reach of other students.
There’s nothing more reassuring than studying throughout the day for that AP physics test you have seventh hour, but where are you going to put your book during the day when you don’t need it? Lockers make for superior storage. Whether it’s your textbooks, projects, lunch, or your sports bag for afterschool, lockers are a reliable and convenient place to keep your belongings.
Lockers are beneficial to students. They are convenient, safe and they promote good health. I certainly think that Cooper City High, as well as other schools should reconsider their decision to ban lockers, as they will benefit the student body in many ways. – VIRGINIA PENIAS
Lockers Need To Stay Shut
While walking through the old building at CCHS, our eyes cannot help but trail longingly on the wall of black lockers. They’re lined up perfectly in order, simply begging to be crammed with our textbooks and highlighters. But upon closer inspection, we see the sturdy screw that has nailed each locker shut. With a feeling of dejection, we sling our bulky backpacks over our shoulders and trudge on to the next class.
What students fail to realize is that lockers are not kept locked for our own personal torment. Those screws are there for a reason; they keep students safe and prevent chaos. It is simply not prudent to have lockers in school.
Cooper City’s switch from four 90-minute classes to seven 50-minute classes has been a difficult adjustment for teachers and students alike. For this reason, it’s more important than ever that classes start and end promptly. By reinstating lockers, this goal isn’t attainable. Jammed lockers or forgotten combinations would result in a chronic tardy problem and endless excuses. Lockers also tend to create more congestion in between classes, resulting in a surge of late students.
Moreover, while having lockers may be ideal in some schools, it just isn’t cohesive with the geographical layout of CCHS. It isn’t possible to make it from one end of the school, grab a folder, and walk back in our meager six minutes in between classes. Even if we could, or if the time between classes was extended, the outcome would be utter pandemonium.
Lastly, and perhaps the primary reason why lockers were removed from schools in the first place is criminal behavior. According to the National Education foundation, 3523 students were expelled for bringing weapons to school in 2004-2005. In 2007 six percent of students reported being threatened with a knife, gun, or other weapon on school grounds. While not having lockers does not eliminate this risk it does lower it substantially.
Although lockers are useful storage, their negatives drastically outweigh the positives. In the grand scheme of things, having to carry around your supplies is a small price to pay for the safety of students and harmony in the hallways. With any luck, the screws will stay nailed to the lockers, and will continue to be that way for years to come. -BLUE KAUFMAN
