East Side’s Phone Ban: Controversial but Necessary?

By Alexander Calafiura and Marlowe Demisch

Caption: One of East Side’s new phone cubbies where students are supposed to store phones at the start of class.

“Boycott!” “Resist!” “Shut it all down!” On the first day of senior year, our Instagram feeds were populated by fervent cries of protest against what you would have thought was an authoritarian regime. Students were outraged about East Side’s newly instated phone policy, which requires all students to deposit their phones in cubbies before the start of every class.

On social media, students discussed proposals about coordinated non-compliance, extended walkouts, and a boycott of the school. Other students, disapproving of the new policy, openly voiced their opinions and denounced the school’s administration. One of these students wrote on their Instagram story, “I’m a senior. I have a resume, am applying to college, and have a job. I think I’m mature enough to hold onto my own phone at all times.”

We spoke to the principal, Mark Federman, to understand the school administration’s decision to move forward with this controversial phone policy despite expected student resistance. He told us, “It was a hard decision…  but a majority of students in this school at this point are addicted to their phones… we’ve crossed the point where it’s hard to distinguish which kids can regulate themselves.”

Additionally, he explained the phone policy’s creation was largely motivated by the sentiments of staff.  He said, “[phones] had just become such a constant distraction and frustration for staff… I think we needed to send a strong message… at one point, there just has to be a rule in an institution that kind of just makes people stop.”

Ben Wides, the 12th grade history teacher and a big proponent of the new phone policy, largely echoed the sentiments shared by Mark. He said, “The existence of smartphones has seriously impeded students’ ability to focus on learning… they are physically in school but they are intellectually and mentally and emotionally somewhere else. And if you are not present in a classroom, you cannot learn.”

Ben also shared his observations of the phone policy’s effect in his classes. He remarked, “I have seen class participation increase tremendously overall and I see that increase with most students who otherwise are the least engaged.” Beyond these students, Ben also mentioned that even “high performing students and highly engaged students are even more engaged because they don't have the constant distraction from their phone.”

Some students found themselves disagreeing with the opinions of Mark and Ben. Q Daily, a senior, said, “I paid for my phone and I think it's messed up to have to put it in the front of the classroom at the start of every period.” Kendall Wasko, another senior, expressed, “I feel that for older grades it’s a little strict because older kids know how to regulate themselves.”

However, it turns out many students actually view the phone policy in a positive light. Penny Alston, a senior, mentioned that, “It’s beneficial In the long run even though I don’t think anybody necessarily likes having stuff taken away from them. But I think it’s just about taking a break.” Pamela, a senior, expressed, “In the beginning I was very against it but I think not being on your phone overall allows you to be more productive.” 

And in the end, it does not look like all teachers at East Side necessarily enforce this rule. In our personal experience, we found that teachers have been lenient on the implementation of the phone policy. Penny told us, “It would be better if teachers actually enforced the rule.”