The cell phone policy that has been enforced at Gig Harbor High School this year is unique to this year – it’s never been a policy until now. The policy states that students are to have their phones put away in their backpacks from the first bell to the last bell, with the exception of lunch. The idea is to increase the engagement of students in classes, strengthen the social skills that many of our generation lack, minimize distractions, and show respect for teachers. With the start of the second semester, teachers were encouraged to crack down harder on the policy, since many students weren’t respecting the policy.
Many students don’t agree with the policy, claiming that teachers are being too strict, and being able to do quick things on their phones, like texting their parents about critical issues, aren’t able to be taken care of in a timely manner. “I think it’s hard to enforce because we get very absorbed within the companionship of our cell phones. I think it would be nice to spend class time without it distracting us, however, achieving this is incredibly hard,” said Taylor Sletner (11). Many students also agreed that because of the difficulty of convincing students to obey the policy, it’s not worth pursuing. “I hate it so much. No one really listens to it, so I don’t think it’s worth it. If people were to listen to it, it would probably work a lot better. But since they don’t, because we’re high schoolers, it’s not gonna work,” expressed Moiraine Caudill (10). It could also be argued that the policy is more of a distraction to students actually trying to learn, causing a situation where students who are willing to risk their grade quietly become a problem for the whole class. “I think it definitely keeps students focused but sometimes it becomes a distraction when using our phones becomes important. When we have to do something on our phones, it’s a massive deal, so that’s annoying.” Maddie Harding (9). Students also argue that they should be able to use their phones in the hallways in between passing periods, since they’re not disrupting classes. “I think that in certain situations it’s really good for us to not be able to use our phones, because it helps us focus, but it does get inconvenient when teachers are extra strict about it and we’re not doing anything but we’re still required to keep our phones away.” Annabella Smith-Maben (11) explained.
However, studies have shown that having cell phones present while at school leads to lower academic performance. Social media constantly acts as a distraction to curiosity and messes with social awareness and presence and the very design of the cell phone is meant to demand attention, which often leads to unhealthy addiction. Sletner explained, “As it seems, some people perceive its use as the equivalent of breathing.” Having phones put away, out of sight, on silent, and even out of reach of students has been proven to produce higher test scores and increased participation and social wellbeing inside and outside of the classroom. “Phones in class are a huge distraction, especially during instruction. Any policy is only as effective as the enforcement of it. It shouldn’t have to be a constant struggle to get students to put their phones away. Sometimes students need to contact their parents, so there are exceptions; but most things can wait. Teachers should hold themselves to the same standards and keep their phones put away during class time,” said Mrs. Janski. During emergencies, students on their phones can miss instruction from adults and noises that are supposed to be eliminated can come from phones.
What do you think? If you are a student, vote for your opinion using this link and we’ll see soon what the Gig Harbor High School student body thinks of the phone policy. If you are a parent or staff, vote using this link. Next time, read the arguments on the new tardy policy.
https://www.nea.org/nea-today/all-news-articles/cellphone-bans-school-are-back-how-far-will-they-go
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01443410.2018.1489046
