The Phone Policy Examined

By Morgan Gallagher and Samuel Rapoport

This year, in an effort to maintain a focused learning environment, North Shore has implemented a new phone policy requiring students to turn in their devices during class time. In a school-wide email, Mr. Frederick clarified the thought process behind the policy, explaining, “Our goal is to eliminate disruption in the teaching and learning, and ensure that students are fully engaged during class time.” Student opinions on the policy are mixed. While some students view the policy as effective, others claim that it has done little to improve their productivity.

North Shore is following a trend of high schools across the country that have recently implemented phone policies. As the New York Times explained in a recent article, schools have been attempting to limit student phone usage for decades. As phones became increasingly popular in the 90s, some schools fully banned the devices, specifically to prevent notifications from disrupting class. However, since the 2000s, restrictions have decreased. Due to the recent increase in school shootings, schools felt obligated to allow phone access as a safety measure. Furthermore, some schools removed their bans to aid students who cannot afford their own laptops and instead need to complete homework on their phones. Now, phone bans are back on the rise. The main concerns are youth mental health and social media use. Many states have implemented harsh restrictions, with local governors promising cell phonefree learning as a result.

The student body remains divided over the effectiveness of the regulation. In previous years, phone usage during class was a major issue for many students. For some high schoolers, the policy has been effective in limiting their screen usage. Junior Thomas Scott noted that he no longer goes on social media during class time. However, some students have managed to get around this restriction by using other devices, such as laptops, to access the same content. An anonymous upper school student admitted that “instead of taking my phone out of my pocket and going on reels, I'm just going on my computer.” This is the case for numerous students, many of whom find other means to evade the restrictions. Sophomore Nikash Bawa also points out that most teachers no longer require students to put their phones in the pouches. He claims that without the enforcement of the policy, the pouches are ineffective. For students like Margret Fitzgerald, who rarely used her phone in class last year, the policy seems unnecessary. While she doesn’t see the harm in the message, she feels it cuts off important communication, particularly with her parents who might need to reach her.

While the restrictions have shown potential in limiting unnecessary screen usage during class time, its inconsistent application and unintended consequences have hindered its success and practicality. As North Shore and schools across the nation navigate new phone policies, the question remains: do these regulations genuinely improve our learning environment, or are there better ways to foster student engagement?