The new phone policy has been the topic of conversation as the school year got underway. The policy essentially bans phones outside of lunch time with a few exceptions for class assignments with teacher discretion.

Administration’s reasoning behind this is to help kids focus more in school as a result of better grades.  Phones are often labeled as a “distracting” item but are also great communication tools. Student reactions to the new rule vary greatly.

“The phone policy positively affects me because I don’t feel the need to have to check my phone and have it out and distract myself in classes,” said sophomore Addi Hardee. “It negatively affects students because it causes more commotion and more problems and distractions from classes because when they get in trouble it distracts them.”

The first offense students receive is a verbal warning. The second time they see you with your phone out they will make parent contact about the misuse of the phone and give it to the front office and you will go get it at the end of the school day. The third time you get seen with your phone it will be taken to the office but your parent/guardian is the only person who can get it back. When changing classes, staff will tell you to put it up if they see it, but if you are on it they will take it to the office.

“”It’s not a distraction, and I can actually get my work done instead of doing it when I get home,” said sophomore Grace Gundrum. “If there are any personal situations at home that the school doesn’t really need to know about, I’m not able to get to them about it because of the policy now; therefore, it is an inconvenience to me.”

This is a change for most students. During everyone’s high school years, the phone problem has mainly been up to teachers. Teachers could make the decisions on whether or not the students could be on their phones during their class. This is a big change especially if you were used to being on your phone all your high school years and use it as part of your lifestyle.

“The new phone policy is not something I agree with but I can see why we have it,” said Gundrum.