What lies in the illuminated rectangle nestled in pocket lint is a resource that can convey billions of informational words, allow communication with cultures thousands of miles away, and provide embellishment for people through self-expression. Some believe that cellphones can distract, even subtract from learning in school, and, as such, new guidelines have been formulated this year to restrict the use of cellphones within Newton High School.
Many opinions on the new policies have been contrived, with some voices contrasting others. What’s apparent, however, is the intentions of the administrators.
“There is some flexibility there; it is not so strict that there are just no phones at all, because we understand that there are times where communication needs to happen— but we have to be able to put it away sometimes too,” assistant principal Scott Stuhlsatz said.
Social structures are complex; not just a single web, but multiple interlaced. With these complexities come frustrations and, therefore, conflict. A number of these conflicts occur online, where a plush white pillow can shield the instigator.
“We have data from other places; the amount of bullying and things like that that happen online during the school day has been reduced,” social studies teacher Elizabeth Gunn said. “My hope is that we will see some of that go down as well for our students.”
Following patterns or plans doesn’t break certain habits as hard as making a conscious effort. This intrinsic can be used as criticism of the new phone policies.
“[A disadvantage of the new phone policies is that] we need to make sure to teach students how to manage their cellphone use, their electronic use, on their own, without mandating it,” counselor Danna Gordon said.
Implementing rules is highly experimental because it’s impossible to know the specifics of what they entail.
“We are always talking about what’s best for students and what’s best for our school, so there is a possibility [the rules] could change in the future,” Stuhlsatz said. “Our goal right now is just to be consistent with what we got, and if it’s not working out, we can always change that for next year.”
Nationwide, rules regarding phones in school are becoming more restrictive. Texas has outlawed the use of “personal wireless communication devices” in the classroom, and many school districts now require students to seal their phones in Yondr pouches.
“I like what we do better, of just not allowing them in the classrooms. I think the [Yondr] pouch thing would be kind of a nightmare, and also, as a parent, I can respect and understand why a student would want to have a phone so they can contact parents after school or in the event of an emergency,” Gordon said.
There are no objective answers to whether phones belong in backpacks, adjacent to crumpled paper and blackened erasers. What is abundant, however, is that divergent standpoints will persist.
“Are there lots of things we could be doing with cell phones that are great for education? Yes. Are they happening? In very few classrooms,” Gunn said.
