Heavy school bags concern

Thanks for your editorial about heavy school bags.

It would be terrific if more schools provided lockers for students.

We live nearly 5 kilometres from our high school and while I like my son to walk at least one way each day as a way of keeping him moving and fit and minimising use of the car (there is no school bus), it is a big ask to do it with a heavy backpack full of books, device, lunch and PE gear. Lockers in New Zealand high schools would be a huge help.

Zoe Hawkins, West Auckland

I read your item entitled ‘‘School bags weigh down teens’’ with great interest.

As a mum of a teen at college, I have concerns about the excessive weight of his backpack, which I often need two hands to be able to lift it myself.

On an average day he has to carry a laptop, numerous text and school books (some subjects require hard cover books), pencil case, PE gear, lunch box and a full drink bottle. Water fountains are not being used because of Covid so a large, full water bottle from home is needed. He also had to carry a clarinet in a case for a few years while he did music.

My concerns are such that I drop him to school and pick him up after so that he doesn’t have to carry this weight for longer than necessary, because the walk to and from the train station and to home is a few kilometres. As a result, he misses out on exercise and I have to add to the traffic congestion around the school.

Limited lockers are available (for hire) at his school, but they are in an area that makes it difficult to get to class on time, plus most of the items he carries need to come home each night to be able to do homework.

The modern day addition of devices, which weigh up to 2kg, is the main issue, but most schools require them now, so I am not sure what the solution is.

Sonja Garelja, West Auckland

My son is going to Westlake Boys and his backpack weight is more than 15kg, that’s why I have to drop him off instead of biking or walking and arrive late to my workplace.

In comparison with my time when studying, this new generation needs to take their laptop plus their notebooks (schools programme is for six days instead of five days a week with fixed plan). For long hours they need to take lunch and the buffet price is not affordable.

Before we used the school water fountain but nowadays students should take drinking bottles.

The number of toilets are not sufficient and clean – with their big pack they have to go to very dirty toilets.

New Zealand looks like a fourth world country in the way it takes care of the health and hygiene our younger generation.

Kasra Zanganeh, North Shore