“Students simply don’t need them anymore!” Principal Radley emphasized. The assembled teachers and school board stared at him. The thought had never occurred to them before.

“All the homework is uploaded onto the secure web system, and each has a laptop they transport with a handy tote. The only things inside those backpacks are contraband!”

“What about changes of clothes for gym class and sports after school?” countered a squinty-eyed woman on whose name tag said Sibley.

“The sport teams have duffles, and those bringing clothes to school will do so in a clear plastic bag to be scanned at the door.” Principal Radley looked smug. “However only one quarter of the school has gym during any one semester, that’s 500 bags to scan instead of 2000.”

“Sir, they can hide individual items in the laptop cases as well.” A gruff voiced father piped up from the audience. “One cigarette perhaps, or drugs.”
‘There are rules for those; expulsion."
“I’m just saying you cant’ stop all contraband."
“No, but we can try.”