A phone “jail” or “apartment” hangs on a whiteboard waiting to be populated with students’ phones before school on August 21. This fixture is now in every classroom for students to store phones during classes as part of a new policy.

On the first day of school, students were welcomed with a new policy which many have begrudgingly complied with: putting phones in “phone jails” or “phone apartments” (what you call the storage fixtures likely depends on your opinion of the policy) at the start of each class. While students have loathed the new rule, many teachers and administrators see it as a necessary measure to help students stay focused. 

Principal Mrs. Julie Barthel said, “Mr. (Mark) Matthews and I have been talking about it for a couple years and mainly just when we walked by classrooms, our number one thing we want to see is engagement—engagement in the learning, engagement with each other, with the teacher (and) with the subject. Many times, when we would look at classrooms, we would just see kids on their phones,” she continued, “(the policy) is just focusing on really trying to make students be engaged in the learning and not just their phones.” 

Nonetheless, students have voiced their discontent with the policy. Senior Molly Foos said, “Personally, it just makes me very mad. I feel like they’re not trusting us with anything anymore.” Junior Chidinma Iloabuchi said of the rule, “I think it can be good in some aspects, but at the same time just restricting it altogether—I don’t know how I feel about it.” 

However, Barthel thinks the lack of phones has proven to be beneficial within the first days of school. “Our first Mass of the year was amazing, and I think part of that was because students didn’t have their cell phones with them,” she said. Furthermore, Barthel explained that she heard from a teacher who had to ask her class to be quiet at the start of the period—something she accredits to the absence of phones in students’ hands. “I take that as a win,” Barthel said. 

Because the policy is in its infancy, Barthel and the administration will continue to reassess the policy as the school year moves forward. When asked if there is  potential for more leniency in the future, Barthel said, “Absolutely.” In particular, she floated the ideas of having phones being a Senior Class privilege and permitting phones in Resource classes for students whose grades were in good standing. However, she noted that she would consult the rest of the administration and teachers before finalizing any changes. As for a timeline in potentially adjusting the policy, Barthel said, “I would like to give it at least a quarter.”  

Aside from banning the use of phones in class, teachers are encouraged to utilize Apple Classroom which allows them to view students’ iPad screens remotely and direct them to resources on their iPads while in the teacher’s classroom. Barthel said, “Kids can get distracted—so that’s one piece of Apple Classroom: you can see all the iPads. That’s not the most important feature to me. To me, (teachers) can push out resources, (and) say, ‘Hey kids, here’s the website I want you to read.’ Apple Classroom is not to babysit and to catch kids.” 

Regarding Apple Classroom Iloabuchi said, “I’ve only had it implemented in one class. It’s kind of weird.”

On top of the phone and iPad changes, AirPods and other headphones are banned unless a teacher asks students to independently watch videos or other media for class. Barthel pointed out that there are accommodations for students with a 504 learning plan or other social emotional reasons. 

Barthel concluded saying, “I think it’s been a great start to the school year; it was a great first Mass, first assembly, school spirit has been great and the student fundraiser is off to a great start.”