Having to wear an ID is neither something new nor a punishment. From the beginning of the school year, students have been aware of the rule that school-issued IDs must be worn at all times. Most students we’ve asked have no opinion on the subject, but it is something that we, as a staff, agree is a necessity. Without ID’s, the safety of our school goes right out the window. ID’s should be mandatory for every student, no matter what campus.

With the safety in schools a continuous problem, it is important that teachers and other staff members know who is walking the halls of the school. With ID’s on, students are telling the staff who the students are and that they belong. But, one can only go so far. Although a number of students switch ID’s, cover up their face with stickers, or simply don’t wear an ID, it’s easy to tell when someone doesn’t belong, said Principal Jeffrey Kajs. Wearing an ID helps students practice good safety habits that all students should become familiar with.

So, when is a good age to start enforcing ID’s? According to Kajs, sixth grade is as good as any grade to get students started. Starting this routine at a young age will help the transition into high school be easier, and ID’s wont be such a foreign concept. Not only is it a good habit to start as a young adult, but in the adult world, having an ID will be necessary almost all the time. You’ll have your driver’s license or a work ID, and there won’t be anyone policing whether or not you wear it. It’s up to you, and as an adult you have to realize that there are consequences to not having it. If we want to be treated like adults, we have to act like adults, and wearing an ID is just a part of that.

The student handbook has been online from the beginning of the year, so it shouldn’t be a shock that if students are not wearing their IDs, they will have to pay a $5 fine. LHS can only provide a number of free ID’s before the cost adds up, said Principal Jeffrey Kajs. The mission for teachers and staff at LHS, also found in the student handbook, is to educate and inspire students in a safe, supportive, and academically rigorous environment. We can’t take the safety of our school for granted. Without ID’s thats exactly what we’re doing. It isn’t about knowing every single person who walks our halls, it’s about knowing that with an ID around your neck, we see that you are a student, and not someone who doesn’t belong in our school.

Students don’t like being told what to do, but ID’s aren’t meant to make students’ lives harder. They’re a simple precaution that helps faculty and staff keep track of students who constantly shuttle between two campus and career centers. Faculty can’t be expected to put a name to every one of the 1,800 faces in the school.

Putting an ID on isn’t the problem, the problem is having to actually remember to put one on. Try putting your ID somewhere you’ll always see it, like by your keys, or near your mirror at home, so you are reminded to put it on every day.

Students want to be safe at school, that is a given. Like any fire-drill or lockdown-drill, the district is taking school safety serious, and so should the student body. Students have to wear ID’s. So, instead of fighting ID’s, pick out a creative lanyard that brings out your personality. Decorate your ID without covering up your face. Be yourself, but do your part in keeping our school safe and secure by wearing your ID each day.