by Noa Dalzell

For sophomore Claire Lunetta, the back pain is constant. No, it is not the result of extreme physical activity or a devastating injury. The culprit: her backpack. Like hundreds of other students, Lunetta carries more than 15 pounds strapped over her shoulders, which can cause soreness and potential disk herniation over time. Lunetta, like 61 percent of students, said that teachers need to change their ways in order to solve this problem.

According to a Sagamore homeroom survey given in November to 180 students, 15 percent have diagnosed back problems while 61 percent join Lunetta in experiencing general soreness as a result of their backpacks. Seventeen percent reported that the pain is very frequent.

Earlier this year, Lunetta had to go to the doctor for her back pain. She discovered that the weight of her backpack might have caused the problem.

“I’ve had back pains that I’ve had in the past, and I just wanted to make sure it was all good,” Lunetta said. “Last year I had to stay home from school one day. Sometimes, I have to miss dance class. It’s definitely affected me.”

Lunetta, like several other students, voiced her concerns about in the lack of effort teachers put into minimizing the weight of backpacks.

“Instead of giving us a sheet of paper or a packet, they should post it online,” Lunetta said. “I realize that some kids don’t have computers at home, but I’m sure there are other ways.”

Junior Daavi Gazelle agreed that teachers should take more responsibility or alleviating the problem.

“I think it’s the last thing on their minds,” Gazelle said. “It’s a very big problem.”

According to the the survey, the most common way that teachers attempt to lower the weight of backpacks is by allowing textbooks to be left at home and folders to be cleaned out each unit.

Many students stated in the survey that teachers should post more materials online and minimize supplies needed for class.

Sophomore Kay Takinami said that even some of the policies that teachers do try to adhere to, such as letting students leave materials at home, do not always have a positive effect.

“If you have a lot of things to do after school and you have a free block, you go to the library and there are no textbooks, and you end up doing something else instead of homework,” Takinami said.

Several students, such as sophomore Jesse Barrett, do not believe that blame lies with the teachers.

“I don’t really think it’s any of their business,” he said. “I think they should just worry about the teaching aspect of teaching, not the backpack problem.”

Math teacher Shoshana Kostant said that there is no easy solution. While she uses a backpack on wheels, she said such a backpack can raise issues for students, who use stairs a lot more than she does.

“The rolly bag is not ideal for our building,” Kostant said. “You have to be able to go upstairs and it is actually quite heavy if you’re carrying it. ”

Kostant, like Barrett, believes that there is a lot students can do to lighten their loads.

“I definitely recommend cleaning out notebooks regularly, not carrying around everything from the beginning of the year if you don’t need to,” Kostant said. “Think about just what you need, and certainly look for where your break is in the day and only putting that stuff into your notebook. It takes a conscious effort, which I think a lot of kids don’t actually take the time to think about.”

Noa Dalzell can be contacted at [email protected].