TOWAMENCIN- North Penn High School is throwing it back to the middle school days and banning the use of backpacks. After an epidemic of twisted ankles and sprained knees from tripping over backpacks in classrooms, to a widespread fear of back injuries and backpack trauma, NPHS decided it was time to take action. 

In Pennfield, Penndale, and Pennbrook, students have to carry their binders and folders around with them from class to class. NPHS Principal Mr. Pete Nicholson and the other staff members have decided it would be best to also adapt this primal way of operation at the high school and get rid of all bookbags.

“The importance of fire safety is something we value here at North Penn,” Nicholson explained. “And backpacks can serve as a fire hazard. So after talking to the Towamencin Fire Department, we have decided to ban all backpacks, purses, and fanny packs.”

Look into any classroom and you can see twenty to thirty backpacks laying in the aisles of the desks just waiting to be tripped over. Some students have larger bags that face an even bigger threat for the students and teachers maneuvering to escape a fire. Sure, when the monthly fire drill comes around, everyone is calm and they simply step over the bags. But in a real life situation, there will be an element of panic that could send a scared student crashing to the ground due to the backpacks littering the floor.

Lockers were pretty cool in the 70s and 80s at NPHS, and already there have been noted upswings in sales of locker mirrors and teen heartthrob posters that are exactly locker-door size. What’s old is new again at North Penn HS!

“I cannot believe this is happening. I don’t even know where my locker is, I have never even opened it before! Plus they are so small, I don’t know how I would fit everything in there!” exclaimed annoyed junior Janhavi Patel.

Many students agree with Patel, and are not looking forward to this new change. They are frustrated with the thought of having to carry all their belongings with them to and from their classes, and there is also the problem of having a locker in a place not central to their classes. The students who have a backpack in A pod are not going to be able to get to and from their locker to their K pod classroom before the bell rings.

Regardless of what the students think, administration is not budging on their decision, so strap in and get ready to have sore arms and tardy write ups from now until the end of the year.