According to the Pew Research Center, 95 percent of kids between the ages of thirteen and seventeen have an addiction to their phone. Teen boys and girls say that they use their devices to connect with people, meanwhile some use it to pass time. Having a phone addiction has affected student grades and attention span, and Windsor High School has taken notice of that.
With Windsor’s test scores struggling over the past couple of years, the administration wanted to make some changes. The new phone policy was finalized before summer school.
Montgomery said, “Well it wasn’t me, it was something the teachers wanted. We had multiple meetings and dissections. We talked about multiple subjects, but the phone ban was one of the most discussed subjects that the teachers highly agreed with.”
If students are caught using their cell phones, the punishments get progressively worse. For the first infarction, the student would get one day of lunch detention. On the second offense, the student would receive two days of lunch detention. On the third offense, the student would receive three days of lunch detention. On the fourth, the student would not be allowed to attend the homecoming dance/Prom. Finally, if they have a fifth offense, they will get an out of school suspension.
Freshman Malachi Boxdorfer said, “They are too harsh with the rules and the punishments are too much. Maybe there’s a chance it will work, but I feel like it depends on the student and their attitude toward the rules and regulations.”
Malachi claims that he has an easier time focusing in class and is able to better understand whatever he’s studying. Malachi also stated that without his phone he can give his teachers his full attention and focus his energy on the material.
While the freshmen are already used to a no cell phone policy from middle school, the seniors are finding it a little harder to adjust to the new policy.
“I think it’s definitely very weird,” senior Mariah Guseman said. “When I’m done with my work, I usually go to check my phone and I can’t anymore. I have to adapt to not having it, but in the end, I do get all my work done and I don’t get as distracted.”
The new policy has also forced the teaching staff to communicate more directly with their students. So far, it appears that everyone is willing to work together to make the rules benefit the entire high school.
Montgomery is hopeful that the phone ban will ultimately be a successful change at the high school.
Montgomery said, “I think it’s going to increase engagement significantly. I’ve had a really good week with it and I hope it goes well for everyone.”
