Phones are everywhere. Whether they are used in class, while strolling the hallways, or even during lunch in the cafeteria, students are constantly checking notifications, scrolling through social media, or texting. With this, an ongoing discussion has come to light in recent years: should our school implement stricter cell phone policies? While some believe that reducing phone use would improve focus and classroom engagement, others argue that phones are useful tools for communication and learning.
Many teachers believe that limiting phone use would help students stay engaged. History teacher Courtney Braz supports the idea, stating that “you have it, you put it down, and you will have it right back in your hands. Because we are all on them 24 hours a day, I believe taking them out of the equation is a good idea.” With this, she emphasized that phone restrictions are a way to improve both classroom management and students’ overall well-being by giving them a break from screens.
English teacher Jasleen Anand agrees that restricting phones can help boost productivity, mentioning that in the English department, teachers have already started to collect phones at the beginning of class and note a difference. “I think it helps the students be productive. Students complain a little bit, but they are generally very easy going about it and get their work done,” Anand claimed. Acknowledging the challenge teachers face when students use phones during lessons, she said, “It is frustrating as a teacher when you’re trying to give instructions and kids are using their phones, and you don’t know who is and isn’t paying attention.”
Boyle house principal Caitlyn Quinn recognized the potential benefits of reducing phone use but also sees the difficulty in enforcing strict rules. “I think it would go a long way in terms of students being able to focus on the task at hand while they’re at school, as well as eliminating a lot of circumstances that lead to bigger issues,” she explained. However, she acknowledged that students and staff are deeply attached to their phones, making it a difficult issue.
Students, however, have opinions on a wider spectrum. Some, like sophomore Anniyah Azhar, believe that phone restrictions would “improve the overall concentration of staff and students.” Others argue that banning phones completely would be unrealistic and even harmful.
Junior Yasser Belatreche believes that limiting phone access could backfire. “People would feel threatened without being able to have their phones and be able to text their friends or talk to anyone,” he said. He also suggested that students might try to get around the ban: “People are going to be urging to use their phones and might find ways to get them,” stated Belatreche.
Sophomore Wongel Yohannes raised another concern, emphasizing that phones serve an important purpose beyond social media and distractions. “An ultimate banning of some sort shouldn’t happen because we have a huge population of ESL students at our school who communicate with the help of phones,” Yohannes explained. “There are so many factors that go into it aside from our concentration and well-being. We must think wisely before implementing something like that.”
The conversation about cell phone use in schools is not new, and no easy answer can be given. While limiting phone use may improve focus, it also raises many concerns. Phones are more than just distractions: they are tools for communication and learning and a comfort to most.
