Phone Policy Pushback
Originally published in the December 2023 print edition.
This school year, the JCHS administration controversially revised their phone policy, now requiring 11th and 12th graders to dock their cellular devices in caddies by each door before entering their respective classrooms. This is in addition to the standing restrictions on phone use for 9th and 10th graders. Student telephones may not be undocked during breaks, only set free between classes. But how do the students and teachers that this policy impacts feel about it? And why was the policy implemented?
“The goal of the new phone policy is to improve student learning,” Mr. Brody, Assistant Head of School, summarizes. “Having it just for the ninth and tenth graders wasn’t achieving the goals we hoped it would.” He asserts that no matter a student’s age, phones are “detriments to learning” because they are “designed to be addictive…and they’re good at it.” One member of the professional community has a different point of view, describing a desire for the school to approach the issue of phone usage “with the carrot, instead of the stick.” That is, the goal should be to “create an incentive for students to stay off of their phones,” rather than forcing them through restrictions. 12th grader Tovi Karson agrees, explaining that he doesn’t “think that being strict is a good way of communicating with students.”
“Like all overarching policies, it doesn't speak to everyone. Therefore, there's a lot of people who are upset about it.” This member of the professional community explains that although they don’t support kids using their phones during class, the policy may be a bit extreme for high school students. They point out that students have access to their computers in class anyway, where they can engage with as much unrelated content as they desire. Karson agrees, saying that “having [our phones] be docked feels very restrictive.” He notes that “oftentimes, having a phone can be important. For example, if you're receiving a call or if you’re anticipating any sort of message that’s urgent.” Karson describes an experience where he received an important call in class and “the teacher touched my phone without my permission, which did make me uncomfortable.”
Another issue that some 12th graders have pointed out is that while keeping the phones docked during class can benefit students’ learning in the short term, many may struggle in college when no one is there to police phone usage. They argue that regulating their own phone usage is an important life skill that JCHS should support students in learning and that it is better to struggle with cell phones in a supportive environment like JCHS than later in life with less support. For Brody, though, it is all a matter of academics.
“I think we’re probably better off preparing students with student skills that they need. I’d rather someone leave saying, ‘I really learned how to write an essay but I haven’t learned to control my phone usage’ as opposed to the other way around.”
When asked whether the policy is permanent, Brody explains that “feedback, at least from teachers, has been positive” so he “doesn’t see any reason to change it.” He acknowledges that “if [the policy] stopped working, [the administration would] probably try something else.”
Whether the policy is here to stay is yet to be determined, but until then, students can rest assured knowing that the policy was built to foster their personal and academic success, now and in the future.
