POINT:  ID checks bring needed stability to school
Paul Kritikos, Staff Reporter

At some point in the school year, every student is involved in an occasional ID check.  They either take place during lunch, in the main entrance to the school, or just randomly in the hallways. A big portion of the ID checks take place before schoo,l around 7:50 for students who are entering the building. A lot of students really don’t like this, but it’s really simple and necessary to do. It only takes a few seconds to take out your ID, and you’re on your way. It’s also a way of forcing students to bring their IDs with them before entering the building.

This year, especially, ID checks have been a lot more frequent than before. This has been somewhat of an inconvenience to some students, but IDs serve more of a purpose than just getting into sporting events or easily buying lunches. IDs help keep some stability and organization in the student body.

It may not seem convenient, but it’s definitely a necessity for the following reasons:

When a student is caught doing something wrong or inappropriate, they’re asked to take their IDs out for identification. If they don’t have it on them, it makes the whole situation more complicated, and adds an extra detention to whatever they did. That’s why we need the ID checks; to keep the students more organized as a whole.

They can also help with students’ futures. When you’re an adult, it’s a need to have your ID wherever you go. This also includes drivers licenses, club cards, and library cards, as well as your official ID card.

Being used to carrying your student ID around will make you used to having the responsibility of having your possessions on you for the future.

COUNTERPOINT:  ID checks invade student privacy
Matt Arenas, Staff Reporter

ID checks are an inconvenience. School IDs are useful but it is not necessary to check them every single day.  ID checks should only happen when inappropriate or illegal actions have occurred.  Checking IDs without cause leads to students training for a fact of life that just does not legally exist outside of school.  It is illegal for police or other public officials to ask you for an ID when you have not committed a felony or misdemeanor.

Announcements over the PA have told us multiple times that students must be willing to show IDs from the moment school starts (8 a.m.) until it ends (3:05 p.m.).  It is hypocritical for ID checks to happen five minutes before the 8 a.m. bell.  It contradicts the school administration’s message.  ID checks are a waste of a student’s time if that student is coming in just before the bell and needs to head to his or her locker before class.  This can lead to students being late to class.

Every once in a while. students do forget IDs.  It can even happen to very well-behaved students.  However, regardless of the student’s past record, if the ID is missing the student receives punishment.  Moreover, from my experience, well-behaved students are generally not pestered as much for IDs as students who do not have a high standing with staff at RB.  I will see administrators in the lunch room check a few IDs but not many, leaving some students with the burden of ID checks more than others.

IDs are a good thing to have in the school in case an event does happen which needs identification of students, but ID checks should not be rigorous and as intrusive as they are now. Checking IDs without a cause to except just to check if you have them is also not a good practice which should be stopped.