locker personal searches

College English 9
2 February 2012
Locker and Personal Searches, Good or Bad? Would you rather have privacy, or be safe? It is a tough decision, but it is better to be safe than sorry. In schools, the crime rate has gone up, and more people are getting hurt, even if not by guns. However, there are several ways to cut down on these crimes during school, and other school activities. Some schools have already recognized this, and are currently using it. Schools should start having personal searches as well as regular locker searches to cut down on school crimes. Currently, Yough School District has very few searches on students. Yough, currently, only checks its high school students; however, there is also a risk of endangerment at the middle school as well. At the high school, Yough’s employees check only gym bags and sports bags, and only search lockers when suspicion occurs. Although our crime rate is not as high as other schools, there is still occasionally some violence. With frequent locker checks, and other personal searches, the probability of a school crime involving weapons or other substances is lower than that of without these searches. An advantage to searches on lockers and personal things is the decrease of drug usage. Just by walking by some of the bathrooms in schools, one could smell the cigarette or marijuana smoke. When a school would check bags, purses, lockers, etc., the students are more likely not to risk bringing in illegal drugs or tobacco products. This in return would raise the student’s grades, ensuring better test scores on state exams, SATs, or any other exams. With the test scoring rates being higher, in return, the schools would get more funding. In addition to the less drug use, and higher grades, more students would feel safer in school. The students would feel safe because they would be sure that there were no opposing threats or weapons in the school. This could then possibly lead to fewer absentees, and less homeschooling. With less absent students, their grades would be higher, and the school would not have to pay for those that are homeschooled if they attended public school. Higher test scores, and homeschool students switching to public school, will save the school money, as well as earn it. Those that are opposed to searching lockers, or personal searches at school may argue that it lacks personal privacy. It cannot be argued that this is a good point; however, the student is on school grounds. The school owns the lockers that the students are using day to day, and should have the right to check them periodically. Schools should also have the right to check one’s belongings upon entering the building to be sure that there are no items that are prohibited on school grounds. While on school grounds, the school has the power to search anyone’s belongings at any given time. In conclusion, personal searches and locker searches would cut back on violence as well as drugs, and students would feel safe and get higher grades. With adding personal and locker searches to a school’s daily routine would help improve the overall image of a school and its students. Would you rather take five minutes out of your school day to ensure a safe learning environment, or would you rather take the risk of endangerment daily? Be smart and understand that personal and locker checks should occur at all schools to ensure safety as well as a number of other things.