By Darsh Mirchandani and Dennis Roy
Throughout the nation, many mourn the loss of their loved ones as a result of school shootings. So far, in 2022 there have been 35 school shootings that have caused injuries or death. This statistic is very likely to increase, considering there are still about two months left before the end of the year. In 43.1% of all school shooting cases, the perpetrator is a current student at the school. In light of this, wearing student identification cards is now being strictly enforced at all times to ensure students’ safety.
The main reason provided by the New Hyde Park Memorial administration for this enforcement is that it will keep students safe. By having students wear their identification cards, unauthorized individuals can be identified easier and in turn, can be prevented from entering the school building. An announcement has also been recently made that detention could be a possible consequence for students that do not wear their identification cards.
“The main reason is for safety and security,” said Principal Dr. Faccio. “That’s the main goal. If students are wearing their IDs, we know who’s in the building and who shouldn’t be in the building. The student IDs are going to be used for other things in the future such as when students go into the nurses' office, the main office, the library or to pay for lunch. All of those things are purposeful and we have to get everyone to wear them.”
Some at New Hyde Park Memorial feel negatively about this policy and its enforcement. This group has many reasons for their opposition, some including that the policy is inefficient and is more of a hassle than it is worth.
“I think it isn’t fair for students to wear their IDs around their neck at all times, especially for seniors, as it is a hassle and increases the risk of losing your ID as you could forget it if you ever take it off your neck for any reason. A better solution in my opinion would be to make sure students have their IDs with them, whether that be in their pockets or bags, rather than around their neck,” said senior Taseen Tanzil.
“I feel that it should be very convenient for students to display their IDs from their bags or use a retractable ID holder,” said senior Alvin Reji.
Artwork by Ashwathi Chemban
Some students feel restrained by the strict enforcement of wearing IDs in school while others feel that it is necessary for safety purposes.
However, others feel as though this policy is very important, considering that it is intended to improve the security of everyone at New Hyde Park Memorial High School. Despite the inconvenience wearing student IDs may cause, some feel as if it is worth the trade-off.
“I do not think that wearing a lanyard with the ID is a problem. Anything that can help maintain security and safety is essential. Hopefully, technology in the near future will come up with better and more streamlined measures,” said orchestra teacher Ms. Tomkiw.
Students, staff and administration all have differing opinions on this matter. Some see it as an inconvenience not worth any possible benefits it may provide, while others believe this policy is a step in the right direction for the security and safety of our school. This difference in opinion launches a discussion on the topic of students’ rights and school security.