I believe all schools should perform backpack and locker checks.

I believe that schools should perform both backpack and locker checks. Imagine seeing an emotionally distressed child walk into a school with a gun. He gets into a fight with the school teacher. He takes out his weapon and begins shooting at people he hates. The school begins to panic, and people get shot by the perpetrator. This situation may have been prevented if schools had stricter security. I believe that school should inspect backpacks and lockers daily to protect students against weapons of violence. The reason why I think we should have backpack and locker searches daily is because of the number of people who bring guns to school each year. "The National School Boards Association estimates that more than 135,000 guns are brought into U. S. schools each day. (NSBA, 1993). [1]" There are approximately 73 million children in the United States of America, which means around 1 in every 540 kids bring a gun to school each day. Not only are weapons brought to school, but they are also used there. "Between 1994 and 1999, there were 220 school associated violent events resulting in 253 deaths – 74.5% of these involved firearms. Handguns caused almost 60% of these deaths. " [1] 60% of 253 deaths are approximately 151-152 people. Basically 152 people died from gun related events in school in this period of time. Since 1999, other major incidents have happened resulting in a growing number of deaths in school. Look at Columbine High School near Denver, Colorado. Two young teens in high school brought in 4 weapons which were illegal in Colorado. They were able to bring them in and hide them for 2 hours before shooting. Fifteen students and teachers died, 9 additional students were injured, and the two who did the shooting committed suicide. If there had been backpack checks, they would have found the weapons, and then all lives would have been saved. [2] Gardena High School, in Los Angeles Unified Schools, recently January 2011, had two students shot because another student brought in a gun in his backpack. It discharged when he threw it onto the table. In Gardena High School they have a policy of random searches of backpack with metal detecting wands, but had not been following their own policies. Gardena's events proved that random searches are not enough to prevent weapons coming onto campus. [3] How could inspecting backpacks and lockers work? Schools could have staff or security personnel at each entrances checking backpacks as students enter both manually, and with metal detector wands. They should also have mandatory "Random Locker Check-Up" days in which they tell you to open lockers and show everything inside. Doing this will decrease the number of people bringing weapons of violence to school. Some people say personal privacy will be violated if guards check backpacks and lockers. There is probable cause in doing so. Probable Cause is reasonable ground for a belief, as, in a criminal case, that the accused was guilty of the crime, or, in a civil case, that grounds for the action existed. [4] The only times police and security guards are allowed to search your belongings is if you show probable cause. You must be doing something incriminating or hinting towards something incriminating for the police or security reach into your belongings without a search warrant. In Terry V. Ohio 1968, it states that a police officer is allowed to frisk and search someone on the streets without probable cause or reasonable suspicion without violating their Fourth Amendment Rights. [5] (The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures. ) [6] I feel it's important to have these searches to occur to safeguard children in school. Therefore, we should do what Terry V Ohio says—we are allowed to search belongings without probable cause in order to safeguard our children. Some people may say that it's illegal for schools to check into students' lockers or backpacks. For example, are police allowed to go up to each woman and open up their purses or go to each businessman and check inside their briefcase to see if they are carrying any weapons? Schools should be able to search backpacks and lockers because are responsible for the safety of students in school, so they should be able to search backpacks to protect all students. We are sent to school to have an education, not to have gun violence. In conclusion, I believe all schools should begin having locker checks and backpack checks to protect the students from weapons of violence. Remember, there are over 135,000 guns brought into the United States schools each day. I hope one day that all schools will begin having locker checks and backpack checks for the well-being of students in school. SOURCES [1] . http://neahin.org... [2] . http://en.wikipedia.org... [3] . http://abcnews.go.com... [4] . http://dictionary.reference.com... [5] . http://en.wikipedia.org... [6] . http://en.wikipedia.org...