A pressing matter among students at the high school is, of course, the new phone policy. Lots of students have been complaining about it while remaining oblivious to its benefits. Schools are meant to prepare children for their future, but constant access to their phones hinders this process by distracting students and making school a less productive and focused learning environment. This can limit their growth and essentially defeat the purpose of school itself. Restrictive phone policies enhance focus in school, and correlate to increases in grades. According to the National Center for Education, more than half of public school leaders say cell phones hurt academic performance. In addition, a study in 2022 at the London School of Economics confirms that grades improved 6.4 percent overall when cell phones were banned, but underachievers’ grades improved by 14 percent. Many factors contribute to this growth; for example, the policy allows for students to concentrate more on their work and encourages good learning habits. Good grades are important because they prepare students for future careers and higher education. This demonstrates how the use of cell phones in school defeats the purpose of school itself.
Secondly, the phone policy fosters a sense of community and allows students to foster new relationships among themselves. Some days it feels easier to scroll on one’s phone rather than strike up meaningful conversations, especially after or during a long day. However, when students are constantly checking their phones, they may be less present in the moment, fostering a sense of disconnection in their relationships.
Lastly, the phone policy allows for students to seek stimulation in the real world, creating better people overall. For these reasons the phone policy is a clear benefit to students’ lives, both inside and outside of school.
There’s no doubt that the new phone policy is disrupting students’ lives. While the old policy encouraged students to use their phones productively, the new policy restricts students’ freedom to spend their free time as they choose. Outside of school, students won’t be able to use their phones responsibly. High school is supposed to prepare students for the real world. Yet, a major determining factor in the future of a student is their development of self-discipline. Without facing the consequences of spending time on your phone at school, students will not be able to learn this important skill.
Additionally, as students struggle to adjust to turning in their phones before entering the library or study hall, teachers will have to put in effort to enforce strict policies along with the valuable work that they already do. Ultimately, these efforts will likely cause resentment to build within the classroom.
Moreover, stealing phones away from students overlooks the huge benefits of technology in a learning environment. In unsafe situations, phones are incredibly valuable and could potentially save lives. They can contact local law enforcement, emergency services, and parents. Currently, however, even something as simple as scanning a QR code has become a problem.
In sum, those enforcing the cell phone policy must realize we are in the 21st century, where technology is a huge, dominating force in our lives. Simply put, phones are a part of life that aren’t going anywhere. Instead of banning them, schools should teach students to handle phones responsibly rather than banning them altogether, which can lead to far more problems. This way, students will know how to manage their technology just as they’ll have to do in the real world.