To increase student safety, the Northside School District put a new rule into action where all students need to wear IDs while on school grounds. This policy, effective since the start of the 2024-2025 school year, directs that students be visibly identified at all times as a precautionary safety measure. 

The new ID policy is to help school administrators quickly identify students and establish if they are authorized to be on campus.

“It does help with safety, but it also helps us,” LMS Associate Principal Mr. Gonzales said. 

While IDs have always been pivotal in schools, they were not as stern about enforcing the ID guidelines until recently. Now, for the 2024-2025 school year, the policy is completely implemented. The immediate enforcement has raised questions among students about why the rule has abruptly become mandatory. 

“We sometimes have students who don’t belong on this campus,” Gonzales said.

Students who forget or refuse to wear their IDs could face punitive repercussions, such as lunch detention. However, some students don’t feel the punishment is particularly harsh.

“It just kind of sucks,” senior Rhianna Vios said. “Lunch detention, I guess, is kind of normal.” 

Vios notes that while the policy is frustrating, it’s easy to avoid detention by simply remembering to wear your ID everyday. 

“But I think it’ll be a lot easier, because kids are starting to comply,” Gonzales said. “That’s a positive thing.” 

For many students, remembering to wear their ID each day is still a new habit. Administrators, like Gonzales, acknowledge this challenge.

“We understand sometimes you’re going to forget it,” Gonzales said. “It happens.” 

Recognizing that the adjustment will take time, the goal in the end is for IDs to become as routine as bringing a backpack to school. 

“I put my ID badge where I place my clothes for the day,” senior Evelyn Perez said. “Having it on you at all times is important.”