At the beginning of this school year, many schools across the country decided to ban the use of phones at school. More and more states are passing laws or bills—more specifically, the New Jersey Senate passed the bill S-3695—which could restrict the use of phones in some schools. Although the Senate passed this law, the NJ General Assembly has not yet. So, it has not been put into effect yet. The reasons behind a phone ban are that some people believe that unrestricted phone usage in school leads to an increase in anxiety and depression in students. This affects Wayne Hills High School since we’re in New Jersey, and sparked a heated question: Should phones be banned at school?
Many parents and teachers believe that phones should be banned in schools because they are a “distraction,” but some students think otherwise. In the previous years at Wayne Hills High School, teachers would make students put their phones in the phone pockets. Some people in the community are trying to push for there to be a bigger restriction than the pockets, but junior student Gillian Baccaro thinks differently: “Phones can be a distraction, so keeping them in the calculator pouches during classes is completely understandable; however, students should have their phones for safety reasons and other kinds of emergencies.”
Phones can be distracting sometimes, but that does not mean we should ban them entirely. Many students are content with just the phone pocket holders. Junior student Ali De Blieck believes, “Phones shouldn’t be banned in school, although I understand we should not use them in class, but if there’s ever an emergency, I feel a lot safer just knowing I have it on me or in the pocket holder.” If phones were banned, students would not have easy access to their phones in case anything happens, so they would not be able to communicate with or text anyone if something did happen.
Similarly, Junior student Olivia Kaplan says, “There are a lot of dangerous possibilities that can take place in the school, and having a phone can be extremely important. Phones should not be used leisurely during class time, but I believe students should have them or at least within reach at all times.” Phones should only be used when necessary. Junior student Gillian Baccaro believes, “I believe that phones should be allowed in schools, but I understand that there should be restrictions on when we can use them.”
Although phones are not banned at Wayne Hills High School, there could be many other schools in New Jersey that ban phones since the New Jersey governor election is next month. If Democrat Mikie Sherrill is elected, phone restrictions could be stricter, but if Republican Jack Ciattarelli is elected, whether or not phones should be banned is up to the districts. So, whoever is elected may play a key role in if New Jersey leans toward restricted or unrestricted phone usage in school. On the other hand, students believe that phones should be allowed to be kept on you or in phone holders—that way it’s close to you at all times. Emergencies can happen, and it is important to be able to text or call someone at any time, just in case. At school, phones should be in reach of students for their safety, not for personal use during class. Therefore, with everything being said, phones should not be banned at Wayne Hills High School.
