It just baffles me. A group of individuals actually sat in a room and pressed local high schools to scramble for any security whatsoever – and this is the best they could do. According to the Austin Independent School District, school safety is as easy and affordable as wearable plastic.

The truth is that I don’t feel safe at Bowie High School. These IDs are examples of “security theater.” Without definitive research supporting the validity of the notion that these IDs will make students safer, it’s clear that most students are upset. The district and Bowie alike must continue to use its limited resources to push for more security measures that incorporate student feedback because the majority of the student body is feeling as if Bowie has implemented a shady and unproven system.

It’s not just about prior research, it’s about common sense. I don’t want an ID system that’s more focused on providing multiple services to students than it is protecting them. If Bowie wants to use IDs for the library or to check in for lunch, then these present their own issues and divert attention from what the purpose of these IDs are right now; to protect students. I highly doubt that the district has forgotten this, but I’m tired of hearing rumors about the IDs being used for miscellaneous purposes with nothing to show for it.

After each school shooting within the last 20 years, American high schools have scrambled to find alternative methods to meet parental and federal concerns for safety. For example, practicing lock-down drills at school was not always the norm, that only became mandatory after the Columbine shooting. But these IDs are unacceptable.

Say a student loses a pass. That student has to go to the office and get a temporary sticker – a “raptor pass” – to serve as a placeholder until a new, free ID is given to the student. This second ID is free, but if the student loses that pass, then he/she will need to fork up $5. If the student doesn’t have $5 or is on their third attempt, they don’t get to go to class and they receive in school suspension. This entire, needlessly complicated process is ridiculous. The National Education Association has stated that while they prefer security that’s backed by research, they have no quarrel with whatever system makes a school feel safer. There’s just one problem with this.

I don’t feel safe at Bowie and I’m not alone. Just because something is being done doesn’t mean it’s working. In fact, the illusion of safety is what could get some of us students killed someday. It’s easy to label people as whiny or petty when a few groans are heard after an announcement about the IDs from principal Mark Robinson, but I feel this dehumanizes us. These IDs are supposed to bring us together, not cause divisions. I’m for safety. The district is for safety. We should all listen to one another and seek to work to come to a conclusion which will benefit all students.

Locking certain doors, practicing drills, and informing students about what they can do to stay safe in the event of a shooting are all positive steps.

The clock is ticking. Let’s create an environment where faculty and students work together to explore new options beyond these IDs. Let’s show other schools in the district that we can create safety that takes into account Bowie’s unique campus. Let’s feel safe again.

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