As many students have realized, new ID scanners have been placed outside every bathroom throughout the school. Students are now unable to use the bathroom unless they have their ID badge with them to scan.

Starting at the beginning of the year, students were given their own personalized ID badges. The ID badge features a unique barcode and image for each individual student. The administration requires students to wear these ID badges at all times and have used them for many different purposes. 

Most importantly, ID badges have strongly been used for security purposes. 

Upon entrance to the school, students must scan their ID badge. The same applies to exit the school. 

Swiping your ID badge upon entering and exiting school is important because “it is certainly a means of knowing who is in the building when in case of an emergency,” Mr. Levine said. It can allow the administration to know whether or not somebody may have been out to lunch. 

In addition, in case of a real emergency, ID badges allow “first responders and law enforcement officers to know which students belong on campus and which don’t,” Mr. Levine said. 

While many students believe the ID badges are only being used for security purposes, that is not the case. 

“In college campuses and places of business, these IDs have become essential for coming and going, so it is certainly in line with college career and professional readiness,” said Mr. Levine, Assistant Principal. 

IDs have also been used to make school lunch purchases and photocopies much more efficient, as students no longer need to memorize nor type their long passwords. 

The most recent use of ID badges is the scanners for them outside every bathroom. 

“We’re using IDs in the bathroom because vaping has become an epidemic. It’s become a real problem, and there was vandalism in the bathrooms. If we can pinpoint who was in the bathroom and when we can hopefully try to curb that kind of behavior,” Mr. Levine said. 

However, many students have mixed opinions about this new practice.

“They aren’t that effective because the door sometimes doesn’t fully close and somebody can just go in by just waiting for somebody else to come out,” said Zoe Lyakhov, freshman.

Others think that the scanners are a burden.

“I think they’re annoying because if I don’t have my ID badge and the bathroom door is locked, I would have to go all the way back to my class to just get my ID badge and then have to go all the way back to the bathroom,” said Lyla Muhtner, freshman.

For now, the school will continue to utilize the ID scanners in the bathroom.