As students returned to school from winter break on Tuesday, Jan. 7, they faced a new cell phone policy. Principal Dustin Toth’s proposal regarding the school-wide cell phone policy drew some unease and indignation from students, who are right to be upset. The administration claims students lose focus in class because they check their phones during class. Toth’s policy requires students to place their cell phones in a designated phone caddy at the start of each class period. Students are given their phones at the end of the class and during lunch.
However, students share their opinions, showing the cell phone policy’s negative impacts on their school life. The administration is advocating for cell phone bans to encourage students to engage with each other face-to-face. However, students use cell phones to review their schedules and coordinate with friends.
The administration cites a goal to limit cell phone use in the classroom, stating that students who use technology in class score 5% lower on average. Though there is evidence surrounding banning cell phones in a school environment, most classroom cell phone bans aim to restrict the unstructured use of cell phones. Even though cell phones in class pose a challenge, schools should aim to teach students to use them for learning purposes.
Those who support banning cell phones in class believe that the positive impacts of keeping cell phones out of the classroom environment will boost participation. However, many students are enrolled in fine arts or CTE classes, which require them to engage in the lesson. Moreover, some students have jobs outside the classroom that require them to attend to clients.
In the face of America’s current gun epidemic, having access to cell phones can be a source of comfort for students and parents alike. If a major incident were to happen on campus, not having access to phones can cause serious complications.
A recent Pulse Survey conducted by the Digital Wellness Lab to understand children’s cell phone use found that over 80% of parents who provided their children with cell phones felt that the ability to connect with parents and being safe when away from home were important factors in getting their child the phone (Bickham et al., 2021). A 2024 survey by the National Parents Union found that 78% of parents whose children take a cell phone to school say they want their children to have that phone available in case of an emergency at their school (National Parents Union, 2024).
If Toth believes in the effects of the cell phone policy, teachers should enforce cell phones to be put away and out of sight and give a set amount of warnings before fully taking away students’ belongings.
