With the new school year has come a new in-class phone pocket policy. For many students, these new rules feel inconvenient and sometimes unnecessary. Despite this, the policy has been widely followed without much resistance.
Student Council President Jack Farrell admitted that his first reaction to the policy wasn’t great. He said he was “kind of upset” and wondered, “why are they taking our phones in class? Last year, I didn’t really have to do it, so I thought it was just a random inconvenience.” However, after the first few weeks his thoughts on the policy changed.
Farrell explained that without his phone in his pocket or backpack, he no longer reaches for it out of habit: “I would instinctively take my phone out… checking to see if I got any texts or notifications. Now I can’t do that anymore, which has definitely helped me stay more focused.”
English teacher Mrs. Kelly Hass gave insight on faculty views of the new policy, discussing changes she has noticed in her classroom. When asked to describe issues she faced in previous years, she stated, “I saw a lot of [students] trying to take a photo of each other without permission… [and] watching their videos from their sports instead of doing what we’re supposed to be doing in class.” But this year, she has seen more focus and productivity from her students.
She explained, “More work is getting done in class, which means they’re learning the material more quickly. They may say they hate it, but I think they’re probably going to like their grades better.”
Mrs. Hass also said that the phone ban has positively affected the social aspects of the classroom: “Post-COVID was so bad. Nobody wanted to talk to each other. But it’s better… bBefore, they were on their phones, [which] was an excuse not to engage with each other.”
In the eyes of students the phone policy originally was, and sometimes continues to be, frustrating. However, some students, like Jack Farrell, and many teachers have noted some benefits. While the debate may not be resolved just yet, phones are staying away.
