In many schools, there’s one problem that people can’t agree on: whether phones should be allowed in school. However, no matter what students and parents think, it’s official–next year, Parkway high school students will not have access to their phones during class time.
Before the district made its decision on cell phones, it surveyed teachers, students, and parents. In the high schools, 62% of teachers wanted a full-day restriction on phones, while 33% of parents and 5% of students wanted a full-day restriction.
However, 62% of teachers thought there should be a classroom restriction on phones, and 63% of parents agreed but 76% of students thought that it
Even though Parkway has already made its decision to ban cell phones during class, the state of Missouri is also taking up the argument, and legislatures are trying to pass a law that would require all Missouri districts to have some sort of restriction on cell phones.
Sophomore Aeriel Houchin said she was happy that Parkway ultimately decided not to institute a full-out ban of cell phones at school. Under the new policy, next year high school students will be able to bring their phones to school and use them between classes and at lunch.
“I think [a full ban] honestly would be really stupid because they can be beneficial to students too, like in fact-based classes or history or languages,” Houchin said.
Houchin also had this to say about when it might start being a problem for parents and kids.
“I think it would be the day of because parents could have an emergency and the parent wouldn’t be able to contact their kid or the kid is staying after school for a club or something and won’t be able to contact their parents. It would cause unnecessary stress and anxiety,” she said.
After finding out how the phone situation for next year is going to go, she had this to say.
“I’m not mad about it, but I still disagree with not having an option to keep our phones in case of emergencies or serious personal issues,” she said.
English teacher Sarah Boyce gave a teacher’s side on the debate on cell phones at school.
“I think it’s a good idea,” Boyce said. “Read ‘The Anxious Generation.’ It outlines all the reasons why smartphones, social media, etc . are harmful for students in their formative years.”
According to a survey taken by Fox 83% of Gen Z have an unhealthy relationship with their phones and 73% of those people believe that their phones are impacting their mental health negatively.
Boyce also commented on when phones could be the most beneficial for school, and how the ban might be a worry for parents.
“When research links are needed for class assignments are blocked by Parkway’s firewall [on the Chromebooks],” Boyce said. “It also might make it harder to communicate with their children during the day.”
Boyce also states how she thinks the ban might cause parents to worry because they won’t be able to reach their students while class is in session.
Sophomore Principal Brionne Smith gave an administrator’s take on the Parkway cell phone ban and potential Missouri cell phone ban.
“I believe that students would be the most affected by the state-wide ban,” she said. “It’s my personal opinion that phones should not be in schools. There are a number of instances in which my role has shed light on more negative than positive experiences in the high school setting. I don’t believe that phones should be banned altogether, but I do believe that there should be set expectations for phones in classrooms.”
South High parent Dustin Hoban, father of sophomore Jackson Hoban, gave a parent’s perspective on the potential state-wide cell phone ban in schools.
“I think It’s a good thing, I think people have forgotten how to live without cell phones to the point where people act like it’s impossible,” Hoban said.
Hoban also commented on when he thought the phones could be the most beneficial in school.
“It definitely can be a resource for students in school as far as with their homework also with organization,” he said.
The potential punishment for a person who doesn’t follow the rules are as follows.
First offense: Your phone will be taken away and turned into your grade level office.
Second offense: You will need to turn your phone in to the grade level office in the beginning of the day for 1 day.
Third offense: You will need to turn in your phone to the grade level office in the beginning of the day for 3 days.
Fourth offense: you will need to turn your phone into the office in the beginning of the day for 5 days.
Any additional offenses could lead to suspension.
While administrators acknowledge the downsides of phones at school, Houchin emphasises how some students misusing phones can impact others.
“There are people who don’t do any work and are ruining it for other people,” Houchin said.
