Senior Destinations Map See p. 12-13
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CONESTOGA HIGH SCHOOL, BERWYN, PA
VOLUME 63 NO. 7
JUNE 3, 2013
STOGANEWS.COM
What the cell? What is the policy? Are we following it? Is change called for? by Lavi Ben-Dor and Simran Singh Co-editor-in-chief and Managing Editor
Zoe Au for The SPOKE
The policy: “Students are not permitted to use cellphones in school when school is in session. Cellphones must be powered off for the duration of the school day�—Conestoga Student Handbook. The reality: “You can walk through the hallways texting and it’s perfectly normal. No one will question it. It’s just not enforced anymore�—sophomore Nikita Rao.
$OWKRXJK WKH RIĂ€FLDO SROLF\ RQ FHOOSKRQHV strictly bans student use during the day, some students see a discrepancy between the letter of the law and day-to-day practice. Freshman Casey Waite said that if students are caught using their cellphones in her classes, teachers take action, but offer the offending students a warning before punishing them. “I have teachers who tell you to put it away, and that’s a warning, and the next time >WKH\@ VHH LW \RX¡OO JHW LQ WURXEOH EXW XVXDOO\ Knowing the rules According to the Conestoga High School people are pretty lenient,â€? Waite said. Rao said in her experience, the majority 6WXGHQW +DQGERRN WKH GLVWULFW¡V RIĂ€FLDO policy on cell phones is that students are not of teachers do not object to student cellphone allowed to use cellphones during the day. If use. “It depends on the teacher, I guess. By students are found to be violating this policy, the Code of Student Conduct dictates now, the students would know if their teacher cares or not. But, generally, if they have that their phones be taken away.
their phone out the teacher won’t care at all,â€? Rao said. “I guess it’s so common now, that they don’t think twice about kids having their cellphones out.â€? Nationally, a Pew Research Study from 2010 found that “43 percent of all teens who take their phones to school say they text in class at least once a day or more.â€? However, at Conestoga, Assistant Principal Kevin Fagan said that the policy is being HQIRUFHG JLYHQ WKDW SKRQHV DUH FRQĂ€VFDWHG and consequences are dealt. He also said that the use of technology within the curriculum RI FHUWDLQ FODVVHV FDQ RIWHQ EH YHU\ EHQHĂ€cial for students, providing an example of German classes taught by Kevin Nerz, in which cellphones are used to allow students practice speaking the language. Fagan said
that Nerz has permission from the administration to use such technology within his FODVVHV DQG DV D UHVXOW GRHV QRW FRQĂ€VFDWH SKRQHV RU UHIHU VWXGHQWV WR WKH PDLQ RIĂ€FH for the use of such devices. ´:H >LQ WKH PDLQ RIĂ€FH@ JHW UHIHUUDOV :H JHW FHOO SKRQHV VHQW GRZQ WR WKH RIĂ€FH DQG then we have parents come and pick them up. So, I know that it’s happening,â€? Fagan said. “I think it depends to some extent. SitXDWLRQV OLNH >WKH FODVVHV RI@ 'U 1HU] ZKHUH obviously kids are using their cellphones in class, we’re not getting cellphones from KLP %XW , WKLQN >WKH SROLF\@ LV EHLQJ HQforced, based on the fact that we get phones every day sent down to us, and we call parents to come pick them up.â€?
See DISTRICT, p. 4