Cheatham County students no longer allowed to carry their backpacks to class

The halls of Cheatham County’s middle and high schools will look a bit different when students return August 7.  Students will no longer be carrying backpacks to class.In a move to improve safety, the Cheatham County School District decided to prohibit middle and high school students from carrying backpacks, lunchboxes, and sports bags with them from room to room throughout the day.  Instead, students will be required to put them in their locker each morning,“The safety of our students and staff is a top priority, and the Cheatham County School District continues to take steps to ensure that our schools are safe learning environments,” wrote the district in a post on its Facebook page.The district says under the new backpack policy, students will need to pay to rent a lock for their locker to store their backpacks.  Students who qualify for free or reduced meals will be provided a lock for free.A district spokesperson didn’t reference any specific event for the creation of the new policy but confirmed this change is the latest in recent security measures the district is taking to ensure student safety.Schools will additionally have more school resource officers (SRO) in place when students return next month. The Cheatham County Commission agreed to fund two new SRO positions for the upcoming school year.“This will certainly help to ensure that all of our schools are covered every day,” wrote the district on its Facebook page.