Is Banning Cell Phones The Right Move For Blake?

At school, our phones are a part of our daily lives. We use them to contact one another as well as to check social media for any interesting happenings. This year, with our (once again) new phone policy, MCPS provided schools with magnetic phone pouches. It allows them to lock up our phones if necessary, but no one wants to reach that point. The incorporation of this new policy is an attempt to limit our phone usage at school, but if our safety isn’t guaranteed, what’s the point?

At Blake, the way the magnetic pouches will only be put into use is in extreme cases. Even though we’ve just begun school, some students are already required to put their phones away in these pouches. They have shown time and time again that they cannot handle the responsibility. The good thing is that they can still carry their phone; they just can’t access them. According to Principal Adelekan, these students have shown time and again that they can’t handle having their phones with them. He stated, “I think [pouches] are better, because if something happens to your property, I’m not liable. I’m just helping you stay focused.” So even while no one wants to get to the point where you are no longer able to use your phone at school, if it helps you stay focused, the outcome is better. 

Although this doesn’t affect all students, as some don’t cause a disturbance, not everyone is being punished. Elisa Do, a sophomore expressed that if she were forced to lock up her phones, “I wouldn’t like it, if I haven’t done anything to show that my phone needs to be locked up, but I’m required to do so anyway, it’s unfair.”, Dagna Libert, another sophomore conveyed that “It feels like we’re being restricted and like a loss of freedom.”

Overall, this is an effective way to use these pouches without everyone suffering the consequences. While it isn’t a requirement for all students to lock their phones away yet, it’s still a possibility. With that being said, that should never be considered. Not everyone deserves to suffer the consequences of others. The majority use their phones when it’s appropriate and for what it was intended for—emergencies. It’s sadly not a surprise whenever we hear the words school shooting. 

Last year, the US had the highest number of school shootings since 2008. We had 83 school shootings last year, and this year, we currently have 53, according to the CNN website. In these unfortunate situations, our phones become a vital source of communication.

In these cases, some people are forced to say their final goodbyes via text or call to loved ones and families: unfortunate scenarios, but a harsh reality. And yet school boards think that it’s a good idea to limit/ban cell phones at school. While cell phones can become a distraction, there are better ways to go about it than to ban them altogether. 

We’re lucky to live in a state that chose not to go through with a ban. Some states have put a ban into effect this school year, such as Texas. But even then, how long will it be until this happens for the entire country? We all understand that phones are a huge distraction, but why are we attempting to ban them when we aren’t even safe at school?