Think about your first day of high school here at Green Level, were you surprised when you found out that we’re allowed to use our phones more freely? I sure was, compared to in middle school, when we were never allowed to use our phones. If you take a look around the school, you will always see someone using their phone. During lunch, transitions, and even during class. Should schools ban these “distractions” that can affect learning, or should they allow students to use their phones with free will?

No. Phones should not be banned from being used in schools. Despite phones having a known reputation of interfering with learning in some situations, they can play a very important role when it comes to student safety, learning reasons, and more. A certain company called “Yondr” believes in banning phone usage in schools. The company sells magnetically sealed pouches that lock up phones (and sometimes other devices). This pouch can only be unlocked with a special magnet made by the same brand. This brand has gone viral on TikTok for students complaining about schools using Yondr pouches which take away their phone privileges for the day. These pouches supposedly help improve student engagement in class and with their peers, behavior, and even academic performance. But, is this fair for the students? Not really. Is it beneficial? In some ways, yes.

There are several reasons why phones are “bad”, and yes, phones can sometimes be distracting inside the classroom. If a student is scrolling through unlimited content on TikTok during class, they are clearly not paying attention to the class content. But, being a distraction is not the only drawback of devices; phones can also harm one’s mental health. This mostly stems from social media usage. Studies have shown that teens who use their phones seven or more hours a day are more likely to be diagnosed with depression or another type of mental illness. If students are using their phones in schools, this can rack up the hours of daily/weekly screen time. Students are also more able to do other negative things, such as recording school fights, taking pictures of students without consent, and impacting social development. Recently, this debate about using phones in school has risen due to the Apalachee High School shooting last week. Students of Apalachee frantically pulled out their phones as tragedy unfolded. They were texting, calling, and even live streaming. Teachers claimed that students weren’t even paying attention to their directions during the event, which posed a threat to everyone’s safety and caused more disorder. Phones don’t really have the best reputation when it comes to school.. 

However, phones can do more good than bad, even if it doesn’t seem like it. Using phones in school can create a sense of security. Most teenagers are attached to their phones. It’s their main source of communication, and sometimes even social interaction between other students as well. When students have their phones taken away, it can cause students to feel many negative emotions, like anger, frustration, and nervousness. Usually this feeling comes from feeling isolated from the people they trust, like their parents and or friends/group chats. If something happens in school, students should be able to text and call their parents for help when they need it. Phones allow students to quickly call for help in case of emergency. Phones can also be utilized for schoolwork. For example, students can communicate with their group project partners outside of school through text, which is more convenient than meeting up in person. There are tons of learning tools and apps as well that can be used, like online calculators, timers, clocks, and language apps. Although there are apps that allow students to cheat on their homework, there are also apps that help teach and guide struggling students, like a virtual tutor. Students can also use their phones to turn in assignments they’ve finished, or check their email.

There are many more reasons why phones can be useful in class for good. So, should schools really ban phone usage across the nation? Over 13 states in the US have implemented policies which ban phone usage in school. But, I think that the negatives that can come with phones in school can be prevented or fixed. Students who constantly use their phones in class and get distracted can get help, same with students with social media addictions. Cyberbullying can also be prevented by expressing the consequences of people who cyberbully, and the negative effects on the victim and the bully. All schools already have policies related to bullying and cheating on school work, so this can help with phone-related problems. If these negative behaviors are corrected, schools will realize the positive effects of phones. Here at Green Level, I think that our phone policy is fair enough. Students can use phones during lunch, in hallways, and it’s up to the teacher regarding whether or not phones are permitted in class. All in all, phones will always have their downsides, but the negative effects can be outweighed by the positive ones. Phones impact our social community and can help bring everyone together.