I was diagnosed with moderate scoliosis in the eighth grade after my pediatrician had noticed an unevenness in my shoulders that resulted in a long and unpleasant visit with the orthopedic pediatricians at Shriners Hospital for Children-St. Louis. They found a 35-degree curve in my spine that luckily wouldn’t and shouldn’t worsen any further, as my growth had slowed at the time. Nonetheless, I was advised by my pediatrician to lessen the weight of my backpack as a means to prevent back pain or the progression of the curve. This testimony I brought with me on the first day of school where I asked if I may be given the permission to tote a rolling backpack instead of a traditional one was denied.

Instead, I was granted a special pass that would allow me to leave class two to three minutes early to ensure that I would make it to my next class in time. However, it wasn’t my pace that troubled me, but the pain that was caused and worsened by the number of textbooks I carried upon my back every day.

Therefore, I was extremely vexed when the following year, I spotted a peer of mine who had been recently treated for an injury he sustained while playing a sport. One could understand I was confused as to why wasn’t I granted the same privilege as he had. While I understand he had sustained a serious ailment to his knee, I suffered a chronic ailment to my back that has caused me not only pain, but to give up activities that I enjoyed and barred me thus far from others that would cause a similar strain.

I was curious as to why I was denied the same requests that have been approved for multiple students since my freshman year when the reason I was given was that if the administration were to give an exception to me, they would have to create an exception for everyone, even with an express diagnosis from multiple doctors.

Today, there is no mention of rolling backpacks to be found anywhere throughout the district policy. Meaning that students with injuries and ailments that may be eased with the use of rolling backpacks may utilize them. However, in the past, why was it that rolling backpacks were prohibited on campuses?

Rolling backpacks have been previously cited as “too distracting” for student use, however, if a rolling backpack would help alleviate the day-to-day pain of a student who found it challenging to carry the weight of all their textbooks, why wouldn’t the district allow for its use?

Students’ backpacks are often far too heavy to lug across campus on a daily basis, with my own backpack clocking in at 22.6 lbs, with all my textbooks and needed materials inside.

I believe that any measures that can be taken to alleviate the pain associated with conditions such as mine should be allowed, as well as precautions that would serve as preventive steps so that students may not find themselves in the same position as I do.