Beginning this school year, Frederick County Public Schools have implemented new cellular and personal device policies to limit the screen times students have during the school day.
It’s hard not to notice the changes in cell phone use this year, as teachers are required to separate students from their phones during class time. Urbana High School is implementing this policy by making students put their phones in ‘cell phone pouches.’
These pouches are meant to store the phone in a safe place away from students while they do their class work. Although they are used by UHS, the cell phone pouches are not required as schools only need to keep cell phones out and away from students.
In an interview, Assistant Principal Dr. Linda Chambers, provides valuable insight into the new policy. As an assistant principal she helped implement the county policies at UHS and has a deep understanding of the background behind them.
First, Dr. Chambers explained the reasoning behind the polices. “Research from the US department of education was starting to show an adverse impact on students and their mental health.”
This rise of social media in school and how excessive phone use can negatively affect someone’s mental health. Also according to Dr. Chambers, the district sees it as their responsibility to protect students from cyber attacks by putting more security in devices provided by the school.
Dr. Chambers initial response to the policies was:
Although many students see this policy as a way to prevent them from being on their devices. The school board’s directions with these policies were not only to keep students off their phone, but also get students to realize they need to be on their phone less.
The phone policy is just the tip of the iceberg with the personal device policies as “The district policy is that personal devices are not allowed in school with the exception of cell phones.”
Personal devices are any device that isn’t provided by the school. The new policies have completely banned these devices, which has required students to use school laptops.
Another important point that Chambers brought up was an update to the policy that no longer allows phones in the hallways or bathrooms during class time.
Chambers discussed that very few students have opposed the policies with the front office and those who have usually come in with reasonable complaints.
The school has allowed students to keep their phones in backpacks as long as it follows the rules of “out and away”. If a student is caught with their phone three times, then their phone will be forced to be put into a cell phone pouch.
Students seem to have a very different perspective on these policies. Student Angel Lebron Garcia openly expressed his opposition to the phone pouches.
Most teachers are using similar strategies to keep students away from their phones, and Garcia said that “Most of my teachers have made me put my phone in some type of phone pouch.”
The phone pouch has been the most common strategy for teachers as the school has provided each teacher with a phone pouch to use if they wish to.
The school is likely sticking with these policies for the near future, but Chambers closed the interview by making it clear that, “It is important for us to continually hear the students’ voices.”
Chambers continues to talk to students about the policies and wants all students to not only understand the purposes of the policies, but also how to follow them correctly.
Garcia doesn’t believe that students will continue to follow the policies and it shows when he said,
Phone policies are especially difficult to enforce on students because of the increased reliance that teenagers have gained with their cell phones.
Despite his initial skepticism, Garcia isn’t entirely against this policy. Garcia voices his reasoning when he says, “I think they should just be that if you are constantly on your phone, yes, they should take it away but I don’t think they should make you take your phone away all of school.”
As a student, Garcia offers a different perspective on the new phone policies and voices some issues he and other students have had with them.
Another interview that was conducted was with Mr. Victor Frush, a teacher.
In this interview, Frush talks about how students have become much more engaged now since the implementation of this new policy.
Frush’s points on the new cell phone policy are all positive as he loves some of the changes he feels in his classroom as he believes students are working more efficiently on their work.
The new phone policies have already been extremely effective in keeping students away from their phones. Despite the contrasting opinions on the policies, there can’t be a definitive answer on if the policies are working or not and currently it’s important to at least know the policies and the reasons behind them.
As students experience the balance between school time and screen time, one thing’s for sure: In this tech-dominated era, it’s all about finding the right connections, both in and out of the classroom!
