Our opinion: IDs are worthless

An Eaglet opinion piece

Over the course of our high school career, we can expect a few things to happen to us: we face the dreaded standardized tests, fall up the stairs few times, and forget to study for a test. But, most commonly, we are stopped in the hallways if our ID isn’t around our neck.

After three years here, I’ve heard staff members ask the question, “Where’s your ID?” more times than I can count on the entire senior class’s fingers and toes. The ironic part is, when a student is asked that question, the staff member or teacher usually addresses the student by his or name.

So, the question that comes to my mind is simple: If you know the name of the student, why is the ID necessary?

Seriously, CM is a school of 757 students at the moment. We aren’t a huge school by any means. In our graduating classes, almost all of us know each other. It’s ludicrous to need IDs because it isn’t hard to figure out who is who.

And yes, I understand that we use them to buy our lunches. Do you know what else we use to buy our lunches, though? A number. On our IDs. Wouldn’t it just be easier to have a number students punch into the system? Besides, we have to memorize our ID numbers to log into our laptops all the time anyway.

Some say that IDs are necessary for school security.  But how does wearing a piece of plastic around our necks make this school any safer? Most school violence is perpetuated by students.  And, if they were following the rules, they would be wearing their IDs while they were committing their heinous acts.

Others say the IDs help teachers and staff keep our school more secure by allowing them to identify people who don’t belong in the building.  But all a student would have to do is hand their ID to someone else to give that person the appearance of “belonging” here at CM.  It’s “security theater” at best, something that is common  in our society. People like to think IDs make us more secure, but it’s all just a facade designed to give the appearance of security.  It has no real effects on actual school security and won’t prevent school violence.

The whole situation is actually hilarious because I walked around school for an entire week my sophomore year with just a lanyard around my neck and no one noticed.

So yeah, you don’t have to pay a dollar for a temporary ID if you just wear a lanyard and pretend like nothing is wrong. My 15-year-old self learned that real quick.

The cost burden to students who forget their IDs is also an issue.  Our parents pay taxes that support this school. We have the right to attend this school.  Why should we pay fines for worthless temporary IDs?  This brings up the subject of how much money the district spends on supplying IDs and lanyards to students; I do not have the answer to that, but whatever it is, that is money that could be better spent elsewhere.

The moral of this is simple: IDs are unnecessary at our school. They don’t make us safer.  They don’t make us more secure.  What’s the point? Our administration and I can agree to disagree, but there are much better alternatives that will be less stressful and more useful for us all.