Tallmadge High School enacted a rule concerning the backpacks and lockers in the school during the 2023–24 school year. The rule was made for safety concerns and does not allow students to take their backpacks to class. Students must instead use lockers to store their belongings and valuables with a lock. The rule had been implemented before COVID-19, but during the pandemic, it had temporarily been dismissed, and students were allowed to take their backpacks to class with them and not use a locker due to safety concerns about students not being able to practice social distancing while at their lockers.

“I was constantly looking through backpacks and trying to make sure that things weren’t being brought into the building that were unsafe,” Principal Mark Horner said.

Horner understands that it may be an inconvenience for some students, but when managing around 670 kids and 100 staff members, it can be a challenge to increase the sense of security in the building, and that sense is much more important than personal convenience. The locker rule is currently intact for the foreseeable future, but that might not mean forever.

“If a group of students said, ‘Hey, we’ve got a viable option, can we sit down and talk with you?’ We always have an open door, we would always listen to alternatives,” Horner said.

Many staff members and administration agree with the rule and are in support of it. Health Teacher Mike Srodawa said that it made his room less crowded and that it helps kids walk from class to class without having to carry something heavy. 

“The only benefits I see are that kids can’t hide their phones, and it’s not a tripping hazard if we have a fire drill. But the kids are constantly running to their lockers because they forget stuff in their lockers,” Math Teacher Cynthia Kasper said.

While many staff members may agree with the rule, it has become a point of contention for most students. 

“I’ve seen people with their backpacks because they’re late and stuff, and they just get by and nothing happens,” Junior Logan Hilker said.

Various students said that they have been inconvenienced by the rule, either by being tardy to classes or having to grab something from their locker and miss class in the process. 

Kasper said that the rule is either black or white and that THS either has it or not. That seems to be reflected by many students that were interviewed, as they did not know what changes or improvements could be made to the rule, but they knew that something had to change.

Freshman Tommy Diamond said, “I guess keeping things that shouldn’t be in class in your locker is good. But being tardy to other classes by not having a backpack in class is a downside.”