The administration at State College Area High School recently implemented a new cell phone policy. Many students have been quite vocal about their opinions about this, as they find it to be very confusing.
In previous years at State High, students were not supposed to be on their phones during class, but during non-instructional time, it wasn’t a big deal if their phones were out. Seniors have not been told anything like this for the past three years.
This issue arose over the years as staff watched students use their phones in class more and more. It’s easy for teachers to feel disrespected by this — they feel like they’re wasting their time teaching when the whole class is looking at their phones instead of them.
Students have taken their cell phone usage too far. A lot of it isn’t intentional, as being on your cell phone has become the “norm” with high school students. It’s understandable that the staff has had enough of this and is ready for change.
Although change is necessary, the change that the administration is trying to install isn’t sustainable or productive. As of right now, the cell phone policy is that phones must be put away in the student’s backpack at all times, including if they’re going to the bathroom and during study hall. If students fail to follow this, detention seems to be the punishment.
Senior Caroline Concepcion shared her thoughts on the new policy.
“I understand where the teachers are coming from but I do think that is a threat to safety for students within the school especially if there was an emergency situation,” Concepcion said.
In recent years, there has been increased emphasis on practicing for emergency situations, such as school shootings. School staff spend time practicing the best ways to handle these situations, but then don’t allow students to have their phones when in the hallways. It’s very contradictory.
Senior Reese Fischer shared her thoughts as well.
“I understand the administration is trying to make us focus more with the new policy, but I think sometimes it’s a little too strict. I’m in a lot of art classes and I want to be able to have my phone out for references. I also think that you should be able to have your phone out in study halls. For some classes, the new policy does help me focus more,” Fischer said.
As shared above, there are a few reasons one could find this difficult. Many students in the building are 18 years old and are being told when they can and can’t use their phones. This type of strictness can make students rebel and will do more harm than good when it comes to cell phone usage during class. Secondly, people need to accept the fact that the world will never be the same as it was before cell phones. Trying to take them away only creates resentment towards faculty, worsening the overall school environment.
The cell phone policy should be that students have their phones away during all instructional time and have completed all of their work before they may use their phones. This would motivate students to complete their work, helping them academically. It also seems like a fair compromise for both faculty and students.
Concepcion shared a similar policy that she thought would be beneficial.
“I think the policy should be that students are able to have their phones out and should be able to handle that themselves until it becomes a problem that the teacher has to take some procedures. I think individual teachers should be able to recognize if their students are too distracted from phones,” Concepcion said.
Because of the variety of classes at State High, it doesn’t make sense to have such strict rules for all classes to follow. Teachers being able to come up with their own rules for their classroom could be a much better way to go about this.
Fischer felt similarly.
“I think that phone usage rules should depend on the class, I think that the teacher should be able to choose,” Fischer said.
While concerns about cell phones taking over students’ lives are understandable, the current approach may be counterproductive. A more balanced policy that lets students use their phones only after completing their work could lead to a better school environment. By addressing the issue with a compromise that respects both student independence and the need for focus during class, the school can achieve an effective balance between education and student well-being.
