Caldwell School Now Requires Students, Faculty To Wear ID Badges

CALDWELLS, NJ — The Caldwell-West Caldwell Public School District has kicked off a new program at Grover Cleveland Middle School that requires all students and faculty to wear a school-issued ID badge on a lanyard… or pay the price.

The new policy – which is being rolled out in the name of “student and staff safety” – was announced to parents last week and officially took effect on Tuesday, school administrators said.

For now, Grover Cleveland Middle School (GCMS) will be the only school in the district with the lanyard/ID requirement. But other schools may adopt the policy in the “near future,” according to GCMS Principal James Brown.

Brown said that the new policy at GCMS is permanent, but it will be evaluated throughout the year.

“The lanyard and IDs for student and staff identification are recommendations by the state and being implemented at GCMS,” Brown told Patch. “It is crucial that students, faculty, and administration are able to identify everyone on GCMS grounds. Identification of staff and students is a safety issue and will not be compromised when it comes to the safety of students and staff. ID cards help us in identifying faculty and students, as well as trespassers.”

The practice of schools requiring students to wear lanyards with ID cards is hardly a new concept, Brown pointed out.

“This is a policy many schools have already had in place or are moving towards,” he said.

Students who violate the policy will be subject to administrative detentions. And as with any school infractions and referrals, continued violations may result in the loss of school privileges, Brown stated.

“Parents and student have been very receptive to the new policy,” Brown said. “While there will always be recommendations/concerns for any new initiative that is put in place, parents and students understand that student IDs provide another layer of protection for the students and faculty at GCMS.”

According to the district website:

• All students are expected to wear their student ID on a lanyard and it must be visible at all times during school hours
• All students will be given an ID and lanyard during homeroom on Oct. 22, 2018
• If a student loses their ID and lanyard, they can purchase a replacement in the guidance office
• Replacement IDs are $5; lanyard costs begin at $1
• “Discipline infractions” will be assigned to students not upholding the student lanyard/ID expectation

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