Students at our school are required to lock up their phones in cell hotels and backpacks, but with hundreds of students to monitor, many doubt the rules will actually be enforced.

The long-anticipated, state-mandated school cell phone ban requires students to place their phones in cell hotels during class and to keep them in backpacks when in the halls or during lunch and breaks. The previous policy was more lenient: If a teacher didn’t require phones to be stored, students could keep them on their person, and take them out in the hallways or during free periods.

For many students, the change has sparked frustration, though the impact varies. Sophomore Aidan Shipway was firmly against the new rule. 

“I don’t use my phone for scrolling or gaming anymore, but I still text and call,” Shipway said. He believes the old policy was better, especially because he doubts the school can consistently enforce the new rules.

Similarly, freshman Marcelo Cusati sees the policy as “fine,” but doesn’t understand the reasoning behind restricting phone use during lunch. He noted that when he does homework in the library, he sometimes relies on his phone as a calculator, a convenience now unavailable. Cusati agrees with Shipway that enforcement will be difficult for faculty. 

“There are too many students for the school to strictly manage this,” Cusati said. “They’ll be strict for a few weeks, then it will likely become lax again.”

Tate Barnes, a sophomore, echoed this sentiment, calling the policy “useless.”

“Students don’t like it, so they aren’t following the rules,” Barnes said. “The staff can’t do much about it.”

Even students who feel less directly impacted see potential issues. Dezmund Asunsolo, another sophomore, said the policy doesn’t affect his phone use but could make a difference for students with 504 Plans. He described the rule as “stupid” and emphasized that with budget cuts and other priorities, enforcing phone restrictions might not be practical.

The overarching concern among students seems to be enforcement. While administrators may hope cell hotels will curb phone distractions, the sheer number of students and the realities of school life make strict adherence unlikely. Many predict that after an initial period of strict monitoring, the policy will become inconsistent, much like the old one.

Ultimately, the new phone policy may exist more on paper than in practice. While intended to minimize distractions, its success depends on constant oversight, which is something students and staff alike suggest may be unrealistic in a busy school environment.

Article by Saksham Sinha