Our generation is living in a post-9/11 world.  We are accustom to heightened security all around us; the reality of a TSA pat down, the idea that large government agencies can track our every move on the internet and phones, and the ubiquitous mantra that is drilled into our heads, “See Something, Say Something.”  The measures that have been taken apply primarily to the outside world, so their impact on us is minimal.  However, we as students live in a post- Columbine world, or more recently, post-Sandy Hook.  Schools all over the United States have gone to great lengths over the past 15 years to ensure the safety of their student bodies.  There has been a dramatic decrease in school intruder incidents since 1990, but that doesn’t mean we should be letting our guards down.  With the abuse of technology often posing an unknown and dangerous threat as well as easy access warfare paraphernalia, we should be making every effort to ensure our safety.

To reduce safety concerns, many school districts across the United States have been utilizing identification cards for both staff and students.  Possession of an ID not only grants an individual permission to be on campus, some school also use them as library and lunch cards, like in our district.  The multifunctional nature of these cards is cost efficient and provides the extra sense of security that administrators love having in their buildings.  By knowing who is who, the likelihood of an unidentified stranger entering a school becomes very slim (especially in the wake of the infamous lockdown at OHS resulting from an anonymous threat made online just this past September). Identifying students prior to leaving the building could reduce the risk of runaway students as well as assist in the identification of abducted students if the situation were to arise.  As beneficial as these ID cards can be, there are students that believe them to be an annoyance since they may be denied services and even punished for not having their card on them. So this begs the question, should we make student ID’s mandatory?

Identification is very important to an individual’s safety, regardless of the environment they’re in, and it would be beneficial to schools if they are mandatory.  If a cheap piece of plastic can keep you safer, then why not use it?  These cards don’t have to be elaborate, and the investment can prevent the worst from happening.  It’s a safety precaution that I’d be more than willing to take if it means there’s potential for saving lives.