
There’s a new policy regarding phones that is being implemented across schools nationwide. Frontier joined hundreds of other high schools by adopting a next-to-no-tolerance policy toward students’ phones. As everyone in the school has been experiencing for a month now, students are being asked to place their phones in holders at the start of each class period, and are only allowed to be on them in between classes and during their lunch break. The goal is supposed to be to minimize distractions in the classroom, but is this new policy working?
A minority of students agree that it is working and that they even appreciate the new administrative action, claiming it makes them more productive. Despite some measured student support, the backlash is equally audible in the student body. Most students recognize and understand the motives for teachers to remove smartphones from the classroom equation, and merely seek a middle-of-the-road solution. However, there are some more extreme opinions on the policy. Arguments relating to rights to property have been especially abundant, despite limitations on students’ rights that are in place in the state of Massachusetts.
The more popular, middle-ground argument revolves around limitations in PACE, where students must still put their phones in a holder during that class time. Many students have expressed their desire to listen to music while studying, which increases productivity for some. While a valid argument, it is certainly not applicable to everyone, and if a student desires to listen to music, there are online web players that are available, such as the Spotify Web Player, that can be used as an alternative to your phone.
Regardless of differing opinions, most students are complying with the new policy and are adapting to the new limitations in the classroom. The key to maintaining this peaceful relationship is a mutual understanding between students and teachers; compliance from students will lead to a relaxed approach by teachers towards the subject. But if students give teachers a hard time about the new policy, or vice versa, it will continue to be a point of contention throughout the school year.