In recent years, the use of phones in school has sparked heated debates among students, educators and parents.
Because technology is constantly evolving, schools are generally creating more restrictions regarding cell phone use, with some high schools banning them altogether. These new policies are meant to promote a healthy screen time limit and eliminate distractions from technology at school.
This school year, the administration of Burlingame HS decided to take charge and govern the students over their phone usage. The school has implemented a new policy that requires all students to put their phones away into a container at the beginning of class and does not allow them to retrieve them until the end of the period. Burlingame HS English teacher Melissa Murphy thinks that these new regulations have been a great addition to the rulebook.
“It’s been really nice. They’re less likely to get distracted and more likely to talk to one another.” says Murphy.
While NDB currently does not have any severe restrictions on cell phones, various staffulty members observe issues with their usage and believe that harsher regulations should be placed. Teachers normally have to give out numerous warnings at the beginning of classes.
On the contrary, many students find the pre-existing policies to be overly strict and find alternatives like Yondr pouches and phone organizers to be too extreme.
“I think for a lot of classes where people know they need to pay attention … like people usually listen and are not on their phones,” said senior Ally Egen. “I don’t think [further phone limitations] would be helpful, because I feel like people are always going to find a way to use their phones. And so it is just going to make people be more sneaky with them which is not making anything better.”
As of now, there is not a noticeable phone use problem at NDB, as corroborated by Egen. Because of this, harsher restrictions should not be placed unless it is absolutely necessary.
Not only would it just cause phone use to be done in a stealthier manner, but phones are used on campus for many reasons outside of distractions, such as communication in the case of emergencies or accessing educational resources like calculators, Schoology, PowerSchool or studying tools which could be necessary for school and work.
Overall, because there is no major phone use issue at NDB, no additional restrictions are needed and students should be permitted to keep their phones during classes. Phones are not only important in case of emergencies, but they are also vital tools in language learning and communication between students.
