5 things parents should know about the new backpack ban at Grand Rapids Public Schools

Grand Rapids Public Schools has banned backpacks and book bags for the remainder of the 2022-23 school year. The new policy was implemented in response to four incidents where students brought guns to school in their backpacks this school year.Cory Morse | MLive.com

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – The largest school district in West Michigan banned students from bringing backpacks or book bags to school Wednesday to help prevent guns from being brought into school buildings, following four incidents.

Grand Rapids Public Schools announced the new backpack ban Wednesday, May 10, after a loaded gun was found in the backpack of a third grade student at Stocking Elementary School, a week after a 7-year-old student had an unloaded gun at Cesar E. Chavez Elementary School.

RELATED: Backpacks banned at Grand Rapids schools after 4th gun incident this academic year

District leaders say that the four incidents of students with guns in their buildings is the most the district has ever had to confiscate guns from students in a single school year.

There was no special school board meeting to get parent and student input prior to the ban being implemented.

Here are five things parents and caregivers need to know about the district's new backpack ban.

1. What is the backpack policy now for school buildings?

Effective Wednesday, May 10 students cannot bring any kind of backpack or book bag into a Grand Rapids school building.

School officials say they want to prevent any bag that would be large enough to conceal a gun or other weapon.

At this point, the district is not allowing clear bags. But school leaders say they are "actively considering alternatives," and will update families with any changes.

The bag ban will likely remain in effect for the rest of the school year, which still has about four weeks left. The decision isn't yet permanent. School leaders say they hope to eventually allow backpacks and book bags in school buildings again "at a later time."

2. Here's what is allowed.

There are a few exceptions to the new bag ban. For starters, students are allowed to bring "small compacts" to carry personal hygiene items, according to the district's new guidance.

A reasonably sized bag for lunch will also be allowed.

Students with musical instruments will be allowed to bring those instruments in their cases.

For the most part, students will have to carry any belongings they need for school including computers, chargers, books, and other school supplies.

The district hasn't released any guidance on specific measurements for small bags that will be allowed into the buildings. However, any bag allowed in may be subject to a search, school officials said.

3.What about other safety measures, like metal detectors?

The bag ban likely won't be the only step GRPS takes to address the issue of guns in schools.

District leaders are convening to discuss further changes in school safety protocol, which could include the installation of metal detectors. Prior to the latest gun incident, the district already had a Saturday, May 20 public safety forum planned hear suggestions from parents.

Related: Safety discussion planned for forum after 3 students bring guns to GRPS schools

After being urged by parents, in March the district temporarily put in metal detectors until the end of the school year at Burton Elementary and Middle School, located 2133 Buchanan Ave. SW, after the two separate incidents in January and October, where students brought a loaded and unloaded gun into the building.

The temporary metal detectors were installed in the main entrance at Burton to conduct "random and unannounced screenings," said Larry Johnson, GRPS chief of staff and executive director of school safety.

However, he said school leaders are still working to figure out a more permanent solution at the school.

"The system is not designed to be used every day," Johnson previously said. "We are exploring equipment that operates more efficiently as part of our ongoing conversation about the best ways to secure our schools and protect our scholars."

4. Grand Rapids is the second Michigan district to ban bags.

Grand Rapids’ new bag ban comes on the heels of a similar policy that was recently put into place by another school district on the east side of the state, Flint Community Schools.

Backpacks are no longer allowed at in any Flint school buildings this school year, after several instances throughout the school year where weapons were brought into school.

The Flint Board of Education voted unanimously to ban backpacks districtwide during a special meeting on Tuesday, April 25. The new districtwide policy will stay in place until the end of the academic year.

The district is allowing students to bring purses with personal items (like hygiene products, wallets, keys, phone, etc.), clear plastic bags with gym clothes, and lunchboxes. If a student brings a backpack to school, they will be sent to the office where they will need to call a parent or guardian to pick up their belongings, according to Flint's new policy.

5. Here's why GRPS school leaders said they issued the ban.

The district is getting some backlash for the new policy because it came without any public input and given immediate effect.

During a press conference Wednesday, school leaders said the new policy was prompted by four separate incidents involving kids with guns in school, including the two this month.

Each time, it was a young student that brought a gun to school. Two of the incidents occurred in the same school building.

The most recent incident happened Wednesday, May 10, when a loaded gun was confiscated from the backpack of a third grade student at Stocking Elementary. School leaders became aware of the weapon after a student reported to staff that another student may have been in possession of a gun.

Just one week prior, on May 3, a 7-year-old brought an unloaded gun to Cesar E. Chavez Elementary School. Again, school officials found out about the gun because another student reported it. Officials responded immediately and found the firearm in a backpack in a locker. There was no ammunition in the bag.

On Jan. 18, a 13-year-old student was arrested after bringing a loaded handgun to Burton Elementary and Middle School. A parent contacted school leaders after hearing about "a student's concerning behavior after school and off of school grounds," and school security searched the student and found the loaded gun.

Three months before that, on Oct. 25, another student was found carrying an unloaded handgun and ammo at Burton. Another student notified a school security officer about the gun-carrying student during lunch period.

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5 things parents should know about the new backpack ban at Grand Rapids Public Schools