East Garner Switches to Binder Bags | Durham News

Durham News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Aug 25, 2026 · 1m

East Garner Middle School is rolling out a bold new safety move: ditching backpacks for binder bags—yes, really. While most Wake County schools are sticking with the status quo, this one’s going all-in on security, inspired by clear-bag policies at high school games. Parents were caught off guard, some not even knowing until day one—leading to an apology from the principal and temporary fixes like cinch sacks and binders to tide students over. The school’s now shifting to a phased rollout, asking families to pause new backpack purchases while they prioritize safety—and yes, it’s a little…