This year, with the start of our use of metal detectors in our school, there have come new restrictions. One that has stuck out to me and many other students is the prohibition of metal cups being used by students. 

“I want cold water all the time, but I can’t get it at school because a plastic cup won’t keep it cold,” says junior Ava Minor. 

Many students have said the same thing. Out of 100 people polled, 85% have confessed to being affected by the ban. Many have mentioned not having cold water, and many have talked about not feeling as hydrated now that they can’t use their metal cups.

Others have mentioned that they went out to get a new cup before school started, and now they’re just out the money. Some parents have complained about this, too, saying that they wasted money on cups for their students that they can’t even use.

I spoke to a lot of people who were in Marching Band as well, stating that they use metal cups so they can have cold water during practice, but now that they can’t their water during practice is warm. 

“I just think it’s silly that students can’t bring in metal water bottles, but teachers can,” says a senior who would like to remain anonymous. Many other students that I polled pointed this out as well. 

While, yes, the teachers don’t have to walk through the metal detectors, that isn’t the point. 

In Mr. Houser’s recent morning announcements, he stated that if we want to try to bring a cup in and try to walk it through the detectors, we could keep it if it doesn’t set off the metal detectors. If the cup or water bottle sets the detectors off, the admin will confiscate it for the day and you’d have to go pick it up before you leave.

We know, based on the observation of metal detectors at Graves County High School, that the detectors were suggested by our administration and positively voted on because they seemed to be beneficial for the safety of the students at GCHS and schools like them in our region. In speaking with someone at Graves, I know that they are allowed to have metal cups. 

A senior there, who would like to remain anonymous, says, “With our metal detectors, we are still able to use metal cups. If it goes off and we’re at the entrance without the table for us to set our stuff on, a teacher will hold it while we walk through again.”

I think that we should do the same. We have to hand off our computers and binders to someone while we walk through the detectors, so why wouldn’t we be able to do that with a cup?

This editor would like to offer up a compromise to our administration. Can we follow in the footsteps of schools like GCHS and simply hand off our cups when we hand off our computers and 3-ring binders? If it feels like “too much,” can I suggest that we add small trays or baskets to use to slide our belongings across the table in the same manner that they would at an airport TSA checkpoint?

We can all agree that we want MCHS to be a safe place for anyone who walks through the doors. As a student body, no matter the long lines, we can all agree that the metal detectors do help us to feel safe at school. Those of us with nothing to hide do not mind you looking through our bags and if the problem is what could be coming into school in the cup, we don’t mind you looking in those either. Ultimately, any change in policy would have to come directly from the administrative top but this editor hopes that “the powers that be” will consider this simple compromise that could boost the morale of students and benefit their health in a positive way.