School board member proposes banning backpacks in elementary schools

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND)- District 186 school board member Sarah Blissett proposed eliminating backpacks for elementary schools.

On May 24, an elementary student brought a gun into Lee Elementary School. On the same day, 19 children were killed by a gunman in Uvalde, Texas.

Blissett says this is what inspired her proposal.

“Any way we can prevent kids from bringing a weapon into a building is just what I am trying to strive for,” said Blissett.

Initially, the board member thought children were not bringing enough materials to school to justify backpacks being needed every day. However, she has received feedback from parents and teachers of elementary students who say the kids still need backpacks.

“It's probably just going to be a jumping off point in a conversation. But it gets the ball rolling and it gets the conversation going,” said Blissett.

Blissett suggested that students could use plastic grocery bags instead of backpacks so that staff members could easily see the contents.