As of this school year the State of Ohio has been following new laws about restricting cell phone use in schools. It has always been frowned upon to allow cell phones in the classroom, but the rules have become more strict forcing schools to reevaluate their procedures.
Within our district, there is a committee of administrators, teachers and parents that meet to discuss the old policy as well as the formation of a new one. As of now phones are allowed in the hallway, lunch room and study halls, but this could change in upcoming years. The use of cell phones may be restricted even more in attempts to keep students more engaged in their school work, essentially cutting out the distraction.
The question remains, what does this mean for students and teachers alike? If the students are asked to give up their personal devices, then many would only see it fair that teachers follow similar guidelines. Of course teachers would need their phones in case of emergency, but should students have that same exception? The general expectation is that neither students nor teachers are in possession of cell phones during class time, and this is probably the standard that will remain for the teachers.
Certain classes do have the occasional need for phones, Journalism as an example. Our weekly​​ TikToks are always filmed on a Paw Print staff member’s phone. Our social media manager then uses her phone to edit said videos. Our hallway interviews and issue insights would simply not be possible without. Therefore, we the editorial board think the use of these devices when given special permission should be a part of this new policy.
Studies have shown that getting rid of phones in schools not only keeps students on task, but also cuts down on bullying which helps improve mental health. The Paw Print editorial board is in full support of the restrictions. It is evident that cell phones are a huge distraction, and for most students grabbing their phones is second nature even when they are not supposed to be out.
Mental health is a concern among a large fraction of the student population. It is said that 1 in every 3 high school students struggle with their mental health. Additionally, about 42% of kids report being bullied online. Bullying leads to low self esteem, depression, anxiety and more. This can make some students’ preexisting struggles that much worse. Cyberbullying has been around ever since the electronic resources were made available. With it still proving to be an issue, why not cut out the culprit? Sure the kids behind the bullying are at fault, but if you take away their device, you take away that power.
Education is extremely important and should be viewed as a privilege. Anything that is taking away from learning opportunities is a burden to students and teachers. Our editorial staff has confidence that the committee revising the policy will do their best to create the best situation for our school. The only addition that may improve the diversity of the committee would be the addition of student opinion.