The constant struggle between teacher- and student-preferred cell phone policies continues.
The general cell phone policy here has students use their cell phones in green, yellow and red zones. Green zones allow students to use their phones freely in places like the cafeteria. Yellow zones allow students to have their cell phones off and in their backpacks unless they have a teacher’s permission to use their phones.
Red zones don’t allow students to use their phones under any circumstances, like during tests. Most teachers like to follow these guidelines.
“[My cell phone policy] is the same as the school’s; not out, not on. If I see them, I take them and give them back at the end of the day. It’s happened two or three times this year,” said science teacher Beth Jewell.
Many teachers, however, have adopted cell phone policies that go farther than what the school has required. More and more teachers are making requirements that students surrender their phones at the beginning of class so they can limit distractions and interruptions, instead of letting students keep them in their backpacks.
“Very late last year, I got the shoe rack. I told the students to put them in there, and told them to drop them in every class. Afterwards, [I] found that there was no longer a cell phone problem,” said history teacher Brian Heintz.
Student cell phone use makes the teachers form their policies, because the teachers believe that the students are learning less with their phones by their sides.
Until 2012, our school had a “no cell phones out at all” policy, so both sides are still trying to adjust.
“It distracts students. They’re on their cell phones and not with me. They’re doing something else, not what I’m doing in class,” said Jewell. “I’m still expected to cover the material, I’m still expected to have kids do well on tests, but there’s this road block.”
Still, students are pushing against these policies and for a more liberal interpretation.
“[I wish we were] allowed to have it on our desk and use it when nothing is happening in class, or when all of [our] work is finished,” said junior Tyler Wernecke.
Overall, cell phone policies vary from the lenient to the limiting.
“You’ve had [cell phones] a big chunk of time; that’s normal behavior. For most people my age, that’s not normal behavior, so maybe it’s a generational thing but I still have my job to do,” said Heintz.