As students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School approach the red gates in the front of campus, many notice that the line to enter is long and often backed up. When they get to the front of the line, they realize that security is checking their peers’ identification badges; many students are getting their IDs taken away. They must then go to Student Affairs to get a new ID badge.

MSD students are just now getting their correct school ID halfway through the school year after it was discovered that their current IDs are invalid due to the absence of a barcode. Many students felt the distribution of new IDs was disorganized. Several students went through a close check-up as they entered the school gates. Due to long lines, many felt this was a major inconvenience when getting to class.

“The line to get into school was too crowded and uncomfortable, especially with COVID-19. I would’ve made the distribution more organized,” junior Mya Ryan said. “I was late to class as well and so were many of my friends.”

As a general rule, if students lose their new school ID, they get three replacements for free. If students lose their ID after having three replacements, they have to pay for a new one for $5. Some students think that the school should not charge a fee on receiving a fourth since they are mandatory according to Broward County Public Schools’ policy.

“At my old school, once we lost two ID badges, we had to pay for our other ones,” senior Nicolas Negreira said. “So the news in the announcements that they will charge students was not surprising to me.”

ID distribution also continued during both A and B lunches. This allowed the students who weren’t able to get their new badges in the morning to come back to the office to get their new ID.

“The line to get into the school and Student Affairs were extremely long and disorganized,” senior Julia Danois said. “It was a large crowd that was bundled up together and at the end of it, the majority of us were late to class.”

In study halls, students were also being checked by security to see if they wore the proper ID. Security announced that students must always have their ID around their neck and if you do not have it on, it can lead to disciplinary action.

“Security came into my study hall and my classmates and I had to hold up our badges so that they could be approved,” senior Elaine Chen said. “For the students’ ID badges that were not approved, they had to be sent down to Student Affairs to get their new ID.”

Students thought that the approach security took in their study halls was very abrupt and impolite due to unnecessary yelling at students.

“When security came into my study hall, their approach for talking to us was very startling,” senior Marlo Perkins said. “There was a lot of yelling towards the students even though we were giving them our full undivided attention, and when others were simply grabbing something from their bag, they would be called out for it.”

MSD students have expressed distress in their experiences while getting their new school IDs, leaving many to feel the distribution was messy and ill-mannered. ID checks will still continue for students to ensure that they have the proper school ID and are wearing it correctly around their necks.