Chelsea High School students and staff are adjusting to the new phone ban this year. Many staff members see the benefit in the new policy because it’s easier to enforce. Even though student opinions differ, teachers and admin think that it will be beneficial for students to have time away from their phones.
“I think that social media rules kids’ lives now,” Jill McKale, a 9th grade teacher consultant said. “I think the less that we’re on it in a learning environment, the more we can focus on school.”
To handle phones last year, most teachers used calculator holders to keep track of students’ phones during class. Some students would exploit it and put a calculator in it instead of a phone, and it was just harder to manage. Other teachers would allow it during class after work got done, and some didn’t care as long as work got done.
“There wasn’t a consistent plan. Teachers got to decide themselves how they wanted to run phones in the classroom,” McKale said.
Even though the change is sudden, before the school board created the cell phone ban, there had been talk about it for 2-3 years. Since it’s been 5 years since the pandemic, administration feels it is time to start transitioning back to old conversations.
“I think that after COVID, a lot of things went by the wayside, and it was just finding the right time to start bringing some of those things back,” CHS Principal Amanda Clor said.
The aftermath of COVID has led to many changes through the school. One of the topics being reevaluated is student phone use during school and its effects in and out of the classroom.
“There’s just been so much research that has come out over time about screen time, social media, time that teens are on their phone, and the detriment to mental health, along with just the distraction in the school environment,” Clor said.
Teachers agree that phones can be a distraction in the classroom. It makes it harder for teachers to keep students’ focus when they have even more things on their mind.
“It’s also better for the students because they aren’t paying attention to their phones buzzing and then they miss what I say,” math teacher Heather Hugg said. “It just makes our lives easier.”
Phones can disrupt learning, and having less time with them can reduce overwhelm. Having time away from them can decrease emotional stress, and if everyone doesn’t have their phone, you aren’t missing anything.
“What you don’t know isn’t gonna upset you, right?” McKale said.
