Although it may seem like there is a stark contrast between the students and teachers this school year, many students and staff have some of the same opinions on the newly introduced phone policy.
Some students who have been written up and put on the continuum don’t necessarily see the rule as unfair, some even say they think it was justified, knowing that having their phone out wasn’t the right thing.
“No, I do not think it’s going against me,” senior Carter Goodpasture said. “Obviously, just because I had my phone out.”
On the other hand, students who have no strikes on the continuum may see these restrictions in a different light. Many think these rules have been applied unfairly, especially regarding personal electronics like laptops and earbuds.
“I know people who have ADHD or they can’t focus in class without listening to relaxing music. So they’ve been affected in class, and they’ve actually performed in a negative way,” senior Yageen Alhadj said. “Sometimes, when people are screaming in class and it’s really loud, someone’s trying to get their work done, and they can’t because they don’t have their earbuds.”
Despite the restrictions on other personal electronics, many students have also seen a change in their productivity these first few weeks of the school year.
“I feel like it has made me feel more productive, because I can’t just take out my phone and look at it,” senior Isabela Villoira said. “Usually I’m not doing anything, but I feel like just looking at it stops me from getting my work done.”
Even when students have all their work completed, without their phones, they have no choice but to make do with the things around them, like talking with fellow students or playing games.
“I feel like I have benefited from the phone ban a little bit, just because I am more productive in class, even if I have all of my work complete,” Alhaji said. “I still find something to do, and people are more interactive with each other, for example, in Advisory people play board games with each other, so it’s kind of fun.”
Teachers also agree that they have seen a major change in students’ productivity and overall willingness to participate in class.
“Honestly students seem to be more engaged in class overall,” biology teacher John Barstow said. “I think they’re like communicating to each other more, even in downtime, like at the end of classes or something, they’re talking to each other more than just sitting silently on their phones.”
Along with more participation in class, teachers agree that when students’ use their time efficiently, they are able to use their free time in ways that don’t involve homework.
“I think most would agree that this is what’s best in the long haul. Technology is not the bad guy, you need to know how to regulate it, especially for yourself, because when you go to college, it’s up to you, don’t sit on your computer during lectures and do nothing,” social studies teacher Jacob Weve said. “I was guilty every now and then, but I had to study even more to make up for that.”
Although many teachers think that students’ should know that it’s better to regulate technology, some students disobey these rules, in which many teachers are understanding and know how they would feel if they were a student with these regulations.
“But some kids, you know, will deny and as we’ve grown very accustomed to having our phones next to us all the time,” Weve said, “but this is a good move. We need to separate, put some distance between us and our phones so that we can learn and just engage.”
Many teachers also remember what rules they had to obey when they were in school, but also understand that those rules were put in place to keep the students safe and under control.
“I remember when I had to wear a student uniform, and I went to a public school, so you’re always going to hate some of the rules, but I think there’s also sometimes rules in place for safety,” French teacher Andrea Platt said. “I think we have a lot of students that struggle with depression and anxiety, and I think a lot of those root causes are because they’re on their phone too much and they’re not enjoying themselves, they’re not connecting with others.”
All around, it may seem like Manhattan High School is divided because of these new rules set in place, but when we take the time to look around and see the benefits in these rules and maybe what could be changed for the better, it’s hard to completely hate the opposing view points of your fellow students and teachers.
“It’s hard to compete with the algorithms that are catered to people to have their attention,” Weve said. “What I teach isn’t always the most interesting, but it’s important. And that’s kind of a lot of things in life. They’re not the most interesting, but they’re important.”
