Survey: Students want backpacks, teachers prefer restricted use

The vast majority of students feel backpacks should be allowed in school while teachers prefer them to be placed in lockers during class hours, according to the results of a survey at Kennett High.Principal Jack Loynd has been asked to research what other school districts in New Hampshire have for procedures and bring a recommendation to the Conway School Board at its July 11 meeting.The student council drafted a survey asking freshmen through seniors and faculty four specific questions concerning school safety. Senior Class President Kevin Linton was on hand to present the results, and he was pleased by the level of participation. There were between 647 and 658 student responses to the survey questions, and between 59 and 66 faculty responses.The questions and the responses: Do you feel safe at Kennett High School? Students 76 percent (496) said yes, 24 percent (157) said no. Faculty 88.3 percent (58 faculty members) said yes, 11.7 percent (eight) said no. Did the elimination of backpacks make you feel safer at Kennett? Students 7.6 percent (50) said yes, 92.4 percent (608) said no. Faculty 33.3 percent (22) said yes, 66.7 percent (44 members) said no. Do you approve of the administration's handling of bomb threats this year? Students 6.3 percent (41) said they strongly approve, 27.4 percent (177) mildly approve, 23 percent (149) were neutral, 19.6 percent (127) mildly disapprove, and 23.7 percent (153) strongly disapprove. Faculty 32.2 percent (19) said they strongly approve, 40.6 percent (24) mildly approve, 10.2 percent (six) were neutral, 13.6 percent (eight) mildly disapprove, and 3.4 percent (two) strongly disapprove. Which of the following best reflects your view of future policies regarding the use of backpacks?The use of backpacks should be allowed as it was prior to the bomb threats? Students 77.3 percent (503); Faculty 15 percent (nine).Backpacks should be allowed, but their use should be restricted? Students 16 percent (104); Faculty 70 percent (42).Backpacks should not be allowed in school? Students 6.7 percent (44); Faculty 15 percent (nine)."There's a pretty wide disparity between the students and the faculty," George Fredette, chair of the school board, said."I think it's very useful information," Loynd said. "I think we can come up with some sort of compromise based upon this information. At this point I would recommend that the students could bring backpacks and gym bags into school but they be placed in lockers (during school hours). I would like to see something in there that would allow the administration to restrict the use of backpacks in a crisis situation."There was discussion among board members over whether the policy committee needed to set a backpack policy."We make policies for the district, not individual buildings," Sheryl Kovalik, of the board, said. "If we are going to make a district-wide policy then I would like to hear from all of the principals."Kovalik also suggested obtaining backpack procedures for other schools in the state before making a determination on the matter.