by Lithra Sankari, a student at Parsippany High School
PARSIPPANY — The Parsippany Troy-Hills school district recently implemented a new high school mandatory policy- wearing ID lanyards. Specifically, at Parsippany High School, all students and faculty are required to wear colored ID lanyards that correspond with their class- the class of 2027 wears blue, the class of 2026 wears black, the class of 2025 wears white, and the class of 2024 wears grey. According to Principal Melissa Carucci of Parsippany High School, “As a district, student, and staff safety is the top priority. This year the secondary schools (CMS, BMS, PHS, and PHHS) implemented a new student and staff ID policy. All students and staff are required to wear their ID when in the school buildings. The ID policy provides an additional level of safety and orderly operation to our buildings. With time, our PHS staff and students have adjusted to the new policy. We are appreciative of their cooperation and support.”
However, to implement this security measure, Parsippany High School students are receiving lunch detentions for the first two offenses of not wearing an ID lanyard and a Saturday detention for the third offense. If an ID lanyard is lost or stolen, the student will not only receive detention but is required to purchase a new ID lanyard for $5.00. The lanyard itself is $3 and the ID is $3.00 if bought separately. Some students report worrying about these detentions appearing on their records or on their college applications. Some worry about the cost implications of losing an ID lanyard. Indeed, many students fear losing their ID, but there are some teachers who believe it is a student’s responsibility to remember to wear the lanyard.
While this policy may be effective for signing in and out of bathrooms, buying lunch, and scanning attendance, it is important to note that students do not use their IDs for actually scanning into the building. PHS faculty simply check if a student wears the lanyard around their neck. In addition, during the previous school year, students had the ability to type in their student ID to scan into the bathroom, buy lunch, and other functions that require identification. Therefore, IDs are not entirely necessary to sign in and out of places around the school.
It is also equally important to understand how Parsippany High School students and faculty feel about this new policy. Here are some anonymous responses:
Question 1: Do you see the benefit of wearing ID lanyards to school/work?
Anonymous Student 1: “No I don’t because they have little to no use.”
Anonymous Student 2: “No because although there is some identification benefit to it, in reality, the teachers don’t use it, we aren’t checking into school with it, and it simply adds extra stress to busy high school students.”
Anonymous Teacher 1: “Yes, it is much easier to call a student by their name and it prepares one for having a uniform at a job.”
Anonymous Teacher 2: “Absolutely, the most important thing is always safety/security. In our PHS community, most teachers don’t personally recognize every student in the building. If a teacher is on hall monitoring duty, our purpose is to monitor behavior and to check if someone doesn’t belong in the building. With the lanyards, we instantly see that the person belongs here and we know how to identify them if there is a behavioral issue.”
Question 2: Do you see the intended security measure established by the lanyards?
Anonymous Student 1: “No, we can use our Chromebooks or our student ID numbers to sign in.”
Anonymous Student 2: “I see what they are trying to do but it is not necessarily working because if there were actual security measures, students would have to check in to enter the building like teachers. Someone, or an intruder, could walk in with a random ID lanyard and nobody would notice. The only security there is to check whether one wears the ID lanyard around their neck.”
Anonymous Teacher 1: “A little, students are not required to scan in with the IDs to enter the building.”
Anonymous Teacher 2: “Absolutely again. For that same reason, everyone is easily identifiable as belonging to the PHS community. Parents entering are automatically given a visitor pass to wear.”
Question 3: Do you agree with students receiving lunch detentions and Saturday detentions for forgetting their ID lanyards?
Anonymous Student 1: “No, the punishment is extreme. I got a lunch detention and I am worried about it appearing on my permanent record. My parents are also just as worried.”
Anonymous Student 2: “No and no. Why would I get detention for forgetting an ID? I shouldn’t be punished for forgetting something when high school students forget things every day. If you are going to punish me for forgetting my ID, be more strict about forgetting homework and be more strict about what goes on in the school bathrooms.”
Anonymous Teacher 1: “No, from my own child forgetting his ID, sometimes it is not their fault.” Note: This teacher’s child once wore his/her ID to school but the lanyard accidentally fell off during drop-off.
Anonymous Teacher 2: “Yes, it is an important lesson to learn actions have consequences. Students need to realize that rules are put in place to protect them and to help them develop behaviors that are acceptable in society. If you look at current events and see what is happening around the world, it gives one perspective. Wearing a lanyard for your own safety and the safety of your community is extremely important, and frankly inconsequential as opposed to what people around the world are currently experiencing.”
These responses offer great insight into how the PHS community feels. While the PHS community may debate this issue, we know one thing for sure- Parsippany students and faculty must wear their IDs. As long as this policy exists, consequences will subsequently exist as well. Therefore, here are some suggested tips to use to remember your ID lanyard:
- Do not take off your lanyard during the school day- you are more prone to losing it.
- Before you leave your house, remember to wear your ID lanyard.
- After school ends, keep your ID safe in your backpack.
- Set a reminder on your phone or calendar to wear the lanyard.
With these suggested tips and as students begin adjusting to the school year, my hope is that more students will remember to wear their ID lanyards and receive fewer detentions.
