All middle and high school students at Edinburg Consolidated Independent School District will be required to use clear backpacks.

The decision was made on Thursday, and some parents who already go their kids backpacks are upset about this change.

"This was a good initiative, it was a very badly timed initiative," Edinburg CISD parent Alondra Flores said.

The district said principals voted on this decision on Thursday as part of a security measure in schools. Those against it are fighting back. There's already a petition out against the new rule.

"Thanks to our school district for trying to become a little bit more secure for our student," Flores said.

Flores says the district's recently announced new clear backpack requirement blind sided her.

"They did it three weeks before school starts. A lot of parents already have their school supplies," Flores said.

The sudden move by the school district has upset some parents and students. Thousands signed a petition against the new rule for all middle and high school students.

"With mass shooter events and this kind of stuff, we thought it was important to revisit it," Edinburg CISD Support Service Executive Director Anthony Garza said.

Garza oversees the district's police department. He said the Edinburg CISD superintendent polled principals on the clear backpacks on Thursday during a leadership workshop.

He says the majority of principals polled agreed that all middle and high school students should use clear backpacks, adding, mesh backpacks will not be allowed. But this isn't the first time this rule has been around.

"We had this initiative back 20 years ago after Columbine. ECISD implemented a clear backpack policy, and we had it for years," Garza said.

The district says plastic and vinyl backpacks that are colored, tinted or have designs will also not be allowed.

All school issued athletics and fine arts bags are allowed, but must be put in a locker room first thing in the morning. Menstrual products will be allowed inside a small clutch.

The district says they're working to find a way to help parents who cannot afford the clear backpacks before the new school year begins.

Parents who have questions about this rule are asked to contact their child's school

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