Editor’s note: This article is the second in a series by the Southern New Mexico Journalism Collaborative examining possible solutions to an ongoing mental health crisis among youth. Funding for this project was made possible by the nonprofit Solutions Journalism Network.

Are clear backpacks the answer to school security?

LAS CRUCES - On a recent Friday night at the Field of Dreams in Las Cruces, fans could be seen lining up for an exciting evening of football. Many carried clear bags and backpacks. Gone were the days of Fendi and Prada; so, too, are the halcyon days of opaque Jansport. 

As of the 2024-25 school year, Las Cruces Public Schools — the state’s second-largest school district — has instituted a clear-bag policy at all Field of Dreams facilities — including the football stadium, soccer, baseball and softball fields. Bags taken into the facilities must be made from clear plastic.

Clear bag policies are an attempt by school officials to combat both weapons on campus and banned substances, like e-cigarettes and drugs. While there are layers to an ongoing mental health crisis among youth nationwide, New Mexico included, one source of anxiety reported by students is the risk of school shootings, which have become too common in the modern era. Separately, the popularity of vaping among students — a form of tobacco use and addiction — poses an ongoing behavioral health challenge among kids that school administrators and state health officials seek to counter.

Raton requires clear backpacks districtwide

Meanwhile, 400 miles to the north on Interstate 25, one of the state’s smallest districts, Raton Public Schools — which has 844 students — has gone a step further with its new clear-bag policy. Following a social media hoax in September, the district implemented a clear-bag requirement for all students attending the district’s three schools. 

“Currently, our practice of requiring clear bags and backpacks in our district was introduced to enhance security and ensure a safe environment in our schools,” said RPS Superintendent Kristie Medina. “Clear bags allow our school staff to easily see what’s inside to the extent possible, reducing the likelihood of students bringing prohibited or dangerous items (e.g., weapons, drugs) into the school.” 

Medina also acknowledged that it’s not a fail-safe system, but she feels it is a step in the right direction. 

“We know and understand that students can still hide items and there is a small percentage that something is snuck in,” Medina stated. “As the need arises for staff to do security checks, the process becomes more efficient since staff can quickly inspect bags without opening them. The visibility of the contents discourages students from attempting to carry any contraband or prohibited items, contributing to a safer environment.” 

Medina asserted the new policy fosters a culture of safety and responsibility, sending a clear message that the district is prioritizing security. 

“Our teachers and staff also feel more comfortable knowing that they can easily see inside student bags, reducing anxiety over hidden items,” she said. 

Medina noted that, as the policy was implemented, there were some early concerns over the loss of privacy for female students with regard to personal hygiene products. Being a rural district, some families expressed concerns over how to obtain the newly required bags and backpacks. But those were soon alleviated.

“We have an amazing caring community who donated backpacks for all students, so this soon became a non-issue,” Medina said.

Some Raton residents were quick to point to the limitations of the policy. 

“The other day I saw about four kids in the store with their clear backpacks,” stated Christine Gutierrez, a resident of Raton. “Those things were stuffed so full with books, sweaters, just all the things they need — you couldn’t see anything in the backpacks. [They were] stuffed to the brim. So if they really wanted to hide something, they definitely could.” 

Another agreed that it might not be a magic solution to gun violence and contraband. 

“I think there should be metal detectors at the doors,” Mookie Romero stated on Facebook. “A backpack isn't the only place you can hide a weapon.”

Vaping prompts Cimarron to try clear backpacks

Forty miles down the road sits the small village of Cimarron with a population of 792 as of the 2020 census. The Cimarron Municipal School District has 404 students among its six schools.The district implemented a clear backpack policy for all high school students during the 2023-24 school year, prompted by a rise in vaping and drug usage, according to Superintendent Shannon Aguilar. 

“We were not afraid of weapons, however, I understand that several surrounding districts are now moving toward the clear backpacks due to the recent uptick in threatening behaviors,” Aguilar told the Southern New Mexico Journalism Collaborative. Because the policy was implemented mid-year, the district bought and provided approved backpacks to all of its high school students. 

Aguilar said the district “didn't want families to bear the burden of buying a new backpack. This year it became part of the school supply dress code/supply list. Students can have most colors as long as they are transparent and we can see through them. Later this year/early next year we plan to go all the way down to our elementary.” 

The policy was prompted by a handful of students who were bringing contraband to school, causing frequent lockdowns and locker inspections. Aguilar said the students have been largely supportive, and that they understood the need. Before the implementation, students were reporting their classmates as they grew tired of the lockdowns and inspections, she said. 

“We recently held a huge volleyball tournament where we had 16 teams in attendance and we told everyone only clear bags would be allowed, and we had little pushback,” Aguilar said. “It’s all too common to have violence in schools. We’ve been lucky here, but we also can’t sit on our laurels and think it’ll never happen in our small, close-knit town.”

Medina, the superintendent of Raton Public Schools, said it’s too early to tell whether students and staff feel safer or whether there has been a reduction in contraband entering the schools. Eight tobacco vape infractions have been logged since the clear-bag policy went into effect in September.

“We have not surveyed students on their perceptions lately but will be administering the state's Student Wellbeing and Competency Survey in November,” she said. “We hope to get more data then.  In regards to supporting students and their mental health, we implement restorative practices and have supports to work with students who are struggling." 

Initially, Cimarron schools also banned hoodies and jackets, but Aguilar said it quickly amended its policy to prohibit the wearing of hoods on campus. 

Alerting fans about the new requirement

At Las Cruces Public Schools, the clear-bag policy — which basically mirrors New Mexico State University’s — took effect at the beginning of this school year. Unlike Cimarron and Raton, the policy does not apply to classrooms, school buildings or gymnasiums and auditoriums. 

“The first game of the season was the Mayfield/Las Cruces matchup, so we had a lot of alumni who were not aware of the new policy,” said Kelly Jameson, LCPS Director of Communication. “We were prepared at the gates with clear, zipper-style plastic bags for fans to use, and all went smoothly. Overall, the response has been good, lines are moving swiftly, and the fans appreciate the district's initiative to ensure we are doing all we can to provide a safe environment for students, staff and families.” 

Jameson said the district has found the policy’s pros to outweigh the cons. Jameson said it helps to provide a safer atmosphere, makes security checks more efficient and reduces the risk for prohibited items to slip by and pose a threat while “improving the fan experience with quicker entry.” On the other hand, she recognized that it may seem inconvenient, initially, for fans who bring a lot to the stadium. 

Last year, NMSU implemented a similar clear bag policy for athletic events, as well as special events at Aggie Memorial Stadium and the Pan American Center. NMSU Interim Police Chief Justin Dunivan said this was prompted by a need to find a balance between the university’s limited resources, a need for enhanced security and making sure attendees can get into an event promptly. 

Dunivan said the university has learned a lot of lessons along the way. 

“We found that having adequate signage is key,” he said. “We need to communicate the policy before fans get to the gate. To that end, we’ve started implementing QR codes that fans can scan to help explain what is and isn’t allowed.”

He said that, initially, there was some pushback. Some fans didn’t want to return to their vehicle before entering, so many would simply discard their personal items before entering. However, in the second year fans seem to be more accustomed to the policy.

“During modern times, security is paramount,” Dunivan said. “Nationwide, we’ve seen failures when it comes to security and law enforcement. We want people to come to the games or events and enjoy themselves.” 

At the Gadsden Independent School District in Southern Doña Ana County, there is no such policy, according to GISD spokesman Guillermo Carmona. Currently, clear bags are only required at graduation ceremonies — but that’s because it’s a requirement put in place by the University of Texas at El Paso, which hosts the graduations. 

Alamogordo Public Schools also does not have a clear-bag policy in place, according to Communications Coordinator Michelle Brideaux. 

Elsewhere in the state 

The state’s largest school district, Albuquerque Public Schools, does not have a clear-bag policy in effect, according to Phill Casaus, the district’s executive director of communications and engagement. Casaus said that some events held at off-campus venues — such as graduations at Tingley Coliseum or sporting events at non-APS facilities — may be subject to the venue’s clear bag requirements. 

The same is true of the New Mexico Activities Association, which oversees extracurricular and athletic events for schools across the state. J.P. Murrieta, the organization’s sports information director, said it simply follows the policies and practices of the hosting facilities — such as the University of New Mexico or Rio Rancho Events Center. 

In August, Los Lunas Public Schools launched a clear-bag policy at all district athletic events, both indoor and outdoor venues, in what district officials hope will lead to improved security. 

Research limited so far

As of the 2021-22 school year — the latest for which data is available — nearly four percent of American schools had a clear-bag policy, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Given the number of New Mexico schools that have implemented such a policy since then, that percentage appears to be growing. 

According to a Washington Post story published last year, security experts are skeptical about the effectiveness of clear backpacks. Many see it as a nod to those “crying ‘do something’” following school shootings, the article states.

Research shows a connection between students’ perceptions of school safety and their mental health. A 2021 study looking at a body of academic research found that, while factors influencing students’ sense of safety are complex, there is a connection between a lack of sense of safety and mental health problems, such as depression and suicide.

“Studies consistently reported that feeling unsafe at school was related to depressive symptoms,” the paper states. “Feeling safer at school tended to decrease the probability of suicide attempts and suicidal ideation. Self-harming behavior was also found to be associated with a sense of safety at school.” 

However, a study examining a large data set from 2002 indicated overall increased security measures might lead to students and parents seeing campuses as less safe. The study took into account a variety of measures like the presence of school security guards and the use of drug-sniffing dogs. (Clear backpacks weren’t among the measures examined.)

A greater number of security measures “did not positively influence perceptions of safety for either parents or students,” according to the 2018 study.

A limitation of the research was that it couldn’t state a causal relationship; for instance, students’ perceptions of less safety on campus, as well as a school’s use of security measures, also could have stemmed from a real lack of safety.

Academic research on the use of clear bags as a security measure for schools appears to be limited so far.

Nationally, school officials continue to grapple with how best to protect students. In 2022, middle- and high-school students in Dallas schools were required to use clear or mesh backpacks in response to the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas — even though it has been noted that clear backpacks would have done nothing to prevent that shooting.

Following the high-profile shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in 2018, the Broward County School District implemented a clear bag policy and received significant pushback from students. The following school year, the policy was abandoned in favor of more metal detectors. However, it was brought back for the 2023-24 school year.