As per CCSD’s updated lanyard policy, all middle school and high school students will be required to wear their school issued lanyards at all times. To enforce this, SWCTA is revamping their process for issuing temporary IDs. 

In previous years, students would purchase a temporary sticker ID for $1. Now, students will be required to purchase a new ID and lanyard each time they don’t bring them to school. The first new lanyard is free, and every lanyard issued afterwards will be $6. 

“We didn’t see a lot of success with the stickers [last year] due to them falling off all the time, and quite frankly it wasn’t a burden with the dollar charge,” Assistant Principal Eric Gant said. “I hope with the new system students continue to emphasize the importance of wearing [their lanyards] because it will be [required] every single day, all 180 days.”

Improper use of the old temporary IDs was common. For example, students wouldn’t use their proper name or obscured their face in their picture. 

“The first time you get charged there’s a call home to your parents, your parents will be [informed], and it could [eventually] fall under insubordination,” Gant said. “[If you’re] repeatedly not wearing it, [it] could get severe as a one day suspension, but that is not something we necessarily want to do. As of right now, about six IDs will lead to a one day suspension. We may adjust it as the year progresses.” 

Some students believe that this new policy will encourage their peers to bring their lanyard to school. 

“I think they are actually really smart, because last year people used to forget to [bring] their lanyards every day on purpose to get the [temporary ones],” junior Finot Efrem said. 

Others are disappointed and believe that $6 is too much of a price increase.

“Honestly, I am not a fan of it,” sophomore Stacey Vo said. “It is a huge price increase, and isn’t fair for students who may be rushing in the morning due to their parent’s having a tight work schedule and may forget their ID on the way out.” 

Administrators revamped this policy to help strengthen security measures, ensuring students’ safety.

“It’s not to be a pain,” Gant said. “We’re following the footsteps of what the district expects. Hopefully students understand [that] it’s not meant to punish, that’s not the point. It’s meant more for safety, that’s the important thing.”