By Fiona O'Reilly
Source by Sam Tsui
Student IDs are up for controversy as regulations are made more strict.
In an age of frequent violence in schools, NHP’s administration and faculty have taken strides to ensure our school’s safety by mandating that students wear their IDs, but this hasn’t been a universally easy task. Inevitably, students of all grades have been avoiding ID policies. What are the reasons behind the disobedience of ID-wearing? Some New Hyde Park students argue that discomfort and inconvenience outweigh the benefits of wearing their ID badges.
“At first I didn’t like it. It felt like a hassle and an inconvenience to always have it on me,” junior Georgina Giannatsis said.
Like Giannatsis and most students at NHP, I also felt that at first, ID wearing seemed to be a burden. It was easy to forget to wear it and a punishment for simply forgetting your ID felt extreme.
“From the looks of it as of right now, many students are ignoring and will continue to ignore the rules,” junior Michayla Rinaldi said.
However, due to new practices and consequences put into place regarding IDs, or the lack there-of, it seems that the general disapproval for IDs has shifted to a more positive outlook on the matter. Security guards are not allowing entrance into the building without an ID and students around the building may be consequenced with detention if they do not wear their IDs regularly. Though these practices are undoubtedly strict, they’ve changed my perspective, and the perspective of many students around NHP regarding IDs. By enforcing strict consequences as a penalty for not wearing one’s ID, I’m more likely to have my ID on hand and it has become a habit to wear it at all times. The practices put in place by administrators and security to ensure safety are necessary, making it understandable why new practices are harsh, and I believe students at NHP should put their pride aside and abide by these regulations. As students at NHP have grown more accustomed to wearing their IDs, it seems that they feel this way, too.
“Over time I’ve grown accustomed to it. It really isn’t a big deal anymore. Instead, I’ve learned to appreciate it,” junior Georgina Giannatsis said.
Not only are students beginning to accept their responsibility, but overall, the benefits of wearing an ID are understood amongst students.
“I think that having students wear IDs when entering the school and in the hallways is a great plan to keep everyone safe,” junior Michayla Rinaldi said.
Though an adjustment when not accustomed to it, wearing your ID should be a non-negotiable for NHP. At the least, an ID should be required to enter the building. Too many lives have been shattered by violence and haunted by “what ifs” regarding a careless lack of precautions for our school to not prepare for the worst case scenario. Students at NHP must look at the bigger picture: our IDs are not worn to be a burden, but to be an extra layer of protection in an unsafe world.
Editor's Note: For more information on this subject, please visit the article "IDs Please" in the News Section.