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Parent and students push back on Pottsgrove High School backpack ban
Summary
A Lower Pottsgrove parent told the Pottsgrove School District board the high-school backpack ban lacks data and could encourage theft; he said a student petition has 463 signatures and asked the board for measurable success criteria.
Nick Harmon, a resident of Lower Pottsgrove Township, told the Pottsgrove School District board during public comment that the district’s high-school backpack ban lacks supporting data and may be counterproductive.
"There is currently a petition with 463 signatures that was led by the student body," Harmon said, arguing the policy was justified in email notices by concerns about vaping and theft but that those risks were not quantified in the district’s materials. Harmon demonstrated that small items such as vaping devices could fit in smaller permitted bags and said, "I saw no clear presentation on how you will measure success of this program." He urged the board to publish the data that motivated the rule and to offer measurable benchmarks for success.
Board members did not respond during the public-comment period; the presiding officer noted the board traditionally does not reply during public comment but invited Harmon to speak with administrators after the meeting. Superintendent Dr. Finney offered to make district staff available after the meeting to discuss next steps.
The transcript shows the petition size and the parent’s objections were the clear focus of the exchange. The board did not record any immediate policy reversal or scheduled action on the ban during the meeting.
