This year’s back-to-school drives have been the victims of a sort of “hit-and-run” situation. Just as the various area programs were facing the final hurdle of stuffing thousands of backpacks, a change of plans was dropped on them.
While word had been rumbling for a couple of weeks that the Dallas Independent School District was considering requiring see-thru or mesh backpacks for secondary school students, the area back-to-school groups had already shelled out monies and started stuffing the traditional backpacks.
With Monday’s announcement officially saying that any traditional backpacks would not make it beyond the front office and that only the clear ones would be accepted, the back-to-school giveaways that are geared largely to DISD kiddos went into overdrive. While DISD is going to provide the new required backpacks, the giveaway programs nonetheless “pivoted” to adjust to the new protocol.
First, they had to reach out to suppliers to get the accepted bags. That was akin to finding hand sanitizers and masks in the first month of the pandemic.
Second, they had to unstuff the bags they already had and prepare to do a crash stuffing when the new bags arrived.
In checking with one organizer, they said that their goal was to provide two backpacks — the original one could be for everyday use and the see-thru one for school. Sort of like play clothes and business suits.
These back-to-school operations, which are totally heart-driven, now are under pressure to rise to the challenge. But that challenge is going to require additional funds to purchase the see-thru bags. If you want to come on board and help one, or a lot, of these efforts, check out the MySweetSchoolDaze posts. They could use a pat on the back(pack)!