How are kids supposed to carry these heavy a** backpacks?!

[AngB]

Ok, so what is there reasoning for this? Just that it saves time or what?

I think the time, the no lockers thing (kids don't have room to carry gym clothes in their overstuffed backpacks since they have no regular locker), and yeah, probably bullying..

[carolinacool]

we just had open house this past week and i was asking one of the teachers about this. She said that indeed last year (when DS was in 6th grade) they had no lockers because of COVID (to reduce time kids spent congregating in the halls between classes). when school first started in Aug 2021 virtually all 6th grade class wasn't even vaccinated, so that was a big concern of course.

This year, I thought it would be different since now everyone has had opportunity for vaccine. Though they apparently decided to continue the no-locker thing because they said it was more efficient, and reduced the number of tardies kids had in classes. Kids have only four minutes in between classes, and my kids middle school is HUGE so i can totally see that does not leave much time to go to a locker, and then make it to their next class - especially if they had to use the bathroom or something, or classes were further apart. THe teacher noted that kids were also forgetting things they needed for class in their locker, so they just decided to continue the no-locker thing for this year. Sigh.

I can see that but honestly the no locker thing is just ridiculous too. Poor kids have to carry way too much!! Why they can't extend the breaks to 5 minutes and shave off 1 minute from each class, is beyond me. UGH. And ok, maybe a kid forgets something in their locker, then they will learn for next time. Sigh.

Yeah, DS' middle school has decided to start the year with no lockers again with plans to "reevaluate." Which means they probably won't change. But our district has left it up to individual schools. I know of at least three other middle schools in the county that are using lockers. It's been especially frustrating the last couple of days. DS is trying out for the soccer team, so he's had to take his man-size cleats, socks and shin guards. I put those in his drawstring bag, and stuffed that in his Adidas back pack. The only reason that bag is fitting is because he hasn't been assigned a Chromebook yet. But he didn't want to try to keep up with a backpack, a soccer bag and his lunch box.

Also, as with last year, they also aren't dressing out for PE again. So gross. Again.

[ahisma]

Also, as with last year, they also aren't dressing out for PE again. So gross. Again.

A few years back, our elementary schools stopped allowing kids to enter the hallways between lunch and recess, so during the Michigan winter the elementary kids eat lunch in the cafeteria - in full winter gear. Snowpants, boots, coats, mittens, scarves - all of it. It was so gross. So much food smeared all over winter gear every day.