During the week of November 6th, 2023, the school’s new cell phone policy went into place. This policy states that students are not allowed to have their phone out at all during class and needs to be placed in a bag the whole learning period. It also states the students are not allowed to bring their cell phones out in the hallway, whether to get water, the nurse, or the bathroom. This rule to some is seen as ridiculous and to others as productive. I am one of the people who think it is ineffective.
Teachers and administrators supporting the policy emphasize the challenges posed by constant phone usage during class, noting that it can disrupt lessons and impede students’ academic progress. Students do tend to use phones while the teachers are talking, trying to teach a new lesson, or while they should be working on class assignments. It is frustrating and annoying to constantly remind students to put their phones away or to focus on the lesson. It distracts students from passing the class. The new guidelines, which mandate phones to be securely stowed away throughout the learning period, are seen as a practical measure to reduce this issue.
However, from a contrasting viewpoint, students do go on their phones a lot, including me, but our parents text us, or we have to respond to an important message, or sometimes we just need a five-minute break from everything. I’m not sure why we feel the need to be attached to our phones, but it is something we have grown accustomed to. I understand that not everyone can multitask; they cannot get their work done and be on their phones at the same time. This is not the case with everyone. I personally can get all my work done and still be on my phone at the same time. The workload does tend to become a lot and having small little breaks on our phones is helpful.
There is no correct answer to this new policy. Everyone will have a different opinion on it. Some might see this policy as effective and a way to manage phone usage. Others like myself will see this as being more harmful than helpful.
