OC HIGH / STUDENT NEWS & VIEWS

Do lockers create a problem? Does eliminating them make school safer?

Responses gathered by Kelly Darling, Calvary Chapel; Adam Johnston, Whittier Christian; Christine Monette, Rosary; Persida Brasov, Garden Grove; Dana Lenetz, Foothill; Sharon Maher, Westminster; Sarah Halverson, Costa Mesa; Michelle Pham, Trabuco; Judy Tsai, Huntington Beach; Luke Fenchel, University; Koreen Kalie, Westminster; Lisa Hassan, San Clemente; Julie Brighton, Esperanza; Amber Pierce, Los Alamitos; Kelly Maakestad, Bolsa Grande; Nicole Sunderland, Santa Margarita; Rachel Odom, Century; Shannon Holmes, Los Amigos; Brianna Mercer, Villa Park; Tori Clive, Cypress.

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If you could change school lunches, what would you do?

“Lockers are very practical for students to use. To eliminate the existence of lockers because of some unfounded paranoia is absolutely silly.”

Mike Lin, 17

senior, Foothill

“Lockers don’t steal from people. People steal from people.”

Anton Rhytting

senior, Westminster

“Eliminating lockers does not make a school safer because if a student is determined on bringing something dangerous on campus, he will always be able to find a way to conceal it without being caught.”

Steve Gravina, 16

senior, Huntington Beach

“Eliminating lockers would increase security problems. People would leave stuff untended and it would be easier to steal.”

Jeff Ross, 16

junior, University

“I tend to misplace things, so I carry my books in my backpack.”

Stacey Nezda, 15

junior, Garden Grove

“You can still carry a gun in your pocket.”

Richard Strope, 15

sophomore, Westminster

“Removing lockers would only be a Band-Aid solution. The roots of these problems are much deeper. Besides, I don’t want to carry my books around.”

Nina Alexander, 16

junior, Century

“If there were no lockers, I would leave my books at home.”

Kevin Runge

senior, Costa Mesa

“I don’t think lockers cause security problems because even if the lockers were taken out, the students would still carry illegal weapons and drugs in their backpacks anyway.”

Charles Pham, 17

senior, Cypress

“Lockers aren’t the problem; the problem lies in the students who seek things to steal. If you get rid of the lockers, they’ll just find other ways to steal.”

Nina Kani, 16

junior, University

“Lockers present an element of the unknown and therefore are a problem to those who wish to know everything. Any school wishing to hold complete control over its inmates should therefore perceive lockers as a security glitch and remove them.”

Thomas Sitch

senior, Westminster

“(Eliminating them) would make it harder on students.”

William Monroe, 17

senior, Trabuco Hills

“The school is no less safe with lockers. In fact, when there are less locker facilities, it causes crowding in the halls because people are just hanging out. That in itself is a safety problem.”

Jenny Caron, 17

senior, Huntington Beach

“I think (lockers) give us a better sense of privacy and tend to make people mind their own business.”

Jedrix Aquino, 16

junior, Calvary Chapel

“I don’t feel lockers have ever created a major security problem.”

Nicole Nguyen, 15

junior, University

“Since we don’t have them anymore, I wouldn’t know. Yes, they would cause problems, but it may be worth it.”

Alex Gascoigne, 17

senior, Westminster

“Lockers don’t create a security problem, and eliminating them won’t solve the problem because students will find other ways to bring in harmful things.”

Megan Hughie

junior, Rosary

“If the person’s gonna bring a weapon or knife or something to school, he’ll bring it anyway. If he doesn’t have a locker to keep it in, he’ll just keep it in his pants.”

Rasik Hanna, 15

junior, Calvary Chapel

“It would be a real pain to carry your books around.”

Jim Mackenzie

junior, Whittier Christian

“They aren’t a security problem because if people wanted to bring something illegal to school, they could just keep it in their bags.”

James Wong

senior, San Clemente

“If we eliminate them it will cause more problems, parents will complain and there will be property loss because there will be nowhere to put things.”

Andy Huang, 17

senior, Esperanza

“The students who carry weapons and put them in their locker will find another way to carry them.”

Rachel Howard, 16

senior, Los Amigos

“Whether there are lockers or not, people will still steal.”

Roylyn Cabrera

senior, Villa Park

“It’s not the lockers that’s the problem. It’s the people who create the problem by stealing and having no respect for other people’s property.”

Matt Younce, 17

senior, Margarita

“People still carry backpacks. Here at Bolsa, no one is searched. So if someone did ever bring a weapon, which wouldn’t be hard to do, it would be a miracle if no one was hurt.”

Julie Gonzalez, 16

junior, Bolsa Grande

“The only problem with lockers is the immature people with nothing left to do other than break into them.”

Lisa Anderson, 17

Los Alamitos

“I personally like having lockers. I don’t think people should put valuable things in their lockers, or share lockers. It is not the school’s responsibility if things get stolen.”

Jessica Yaeger

junior, Costa Mesa

“The administration has the right to search lockers. If they feel something is wrong, they can break into a student’s private belongings.”

Geoff Urland, 16

junior, Foothill

“Lockers do not create a security problem if they are not broken. I have heard that at school where they eliminated lockers, it only caused more work for students carrying all their books. I think most students who break into lockers want the locks rather than the materials in the locker.”

Michelle Toy, 16

senior, Huntington Beach

“I think lockers are cool because they give you space to put your stuff. There is really no way to stop people from taking drugs or guns to school.”

Soledad Gomez

junior, San Clemente

“In the past, lockers provided safety and security for students’ belongings. But today, because of the rising vandalism and crime rate, it is not uncommon for kids’ lockers to be broken into. For this, a safer system must be invented to protect our belongings.”

Christina Wu, 15

sophomore, Foothill

“Here at Rosary, lockers are no problem so there is no need to eliminate them. It would cause more of a problem to take them out than to leave them in.”

Erin Kennell

sophomore, Rosary

“People would still bring the same things to school. It doesn’t make a difference if it’s in their locker, car or backpack.

Amy Heines, 17

senior, Esperanza