Montgomery Public Schools has announced that all students, regardless of grade level, will be required to wear transparent school bags while on school grounds next school year.

According to WSFA, the change is part of the school's efforts to better protect students and staff. The transparent school bag policy has already been in place at Montgomery since the beginning of last school year for students in grades 6-12.

Opponents of the transparent backpack mandate believe it is an infringement of students' freedom and privacy, while supporters argue that while it may infringe on some personal privacy, it will help ensure school safety in the long run.

Some schools have banned school backpacks altogether — a Kentucky high school was the first to ban traditional backpacks after a 1993 school shooting, The Washington Post reported — but starting next school year, the school plans to allow clear backpacks.

Austin Shipley is a staff writer for Yellow Hammer News. You can follow him on X. @ShipleyAusten