Teachers at Bismarck High School have started to require students to put their phones in assigned pouches during class. They are attempting to crack down on phone use once again because it can take away from students’ learning. Students are not impressed with this.
Not having phones in class may take away the distractions, but they also cut off direct contact that students are able to have with their parents or guardians throughout the school day. It also shows how little the school trusts students’ decision making skills. It is an unnecessary step at the beginning and end of class that only causes extra trouble. The long line at the end of class commonly causes students to either be late to their next class. Oftentimes, students may also forget their phones in the pouches. During their next class, teachers may not be willing to allow the student to go get their phone, and with only four minutes between periods, it is not always feasible for students to go back and grab their phone while still making it to class on time.
Cubbies create an equal amount of issues compared to keeping cell phones in the students’ possession. They have the possibility of just escalating behavioral issues. Students are much more likely to obey cell phone policies if a teacher respectfully asks them to put it away, rather than being less flexible or putting less trust in the individual students hands. It is not often that students need extra discipline relating to their cell phone usage, but students also recognize that it does happen and in that case, the extra step may be necessary. Cell phone usage should be solved case by case, rather than as a whole.
Backpacks or pant pockets are an easier solution to our current phone problem, and many students seem to agree. It is out of the way, but still close enough to have in an emergency situation. These phones are personal property that should stay with their owners. Allowing students to keep their phones also cuts down on the amount of class time to round up phones in a “phone jail” and move on with the learning.
Students should be trusted enough to just keep their phones in their backpacks and stay off of them while in class. It is important to observe that trust is not an automatic right, but rather something that everyone should be given and only taken away when proved necessary.
