Out of sight, Out of mind?

The people of New Roads share their thoughts on the school-wide in-class phone ban.

This school year, New Roads has introduced a major change: all phones must now be collected in class, no exceptions. This policy shift has sparked a range of opinions and conversations across the high school campus.

The phone ban was implemented after years of relatively lenient policies regarding phone use at New Roads. While phones weren’t always welcome in class, there was an unspoken expectation that students wouldn’t use them during lessons. Now, with this new, more rigid policy in place, students and staff are adjusting to the changes.

Private schools have begun to catch on. Many have speculated that New Roads would give in. As an anonymous student shared, “The school just wanted to do something to make themselves look good”.

But is the phone ban really necessary? Has it changed the learning environment at New Roads? To find out, members of the Journalism class—Kim, Ruru, and guest contributor Rio—interviewed students and teachers, categorizing their responses into three groups: “The Screenagers,” “The Nonchalants,” and “The Old-Schoolers.”

The Screenagers

(Photo courtesy of Kimberly Morera Cuellar)

Screenager defies ‘Digital Free Zone’ — just a reminder, Jimmy will always find you.

The “Screenagers” are those who oppose the phone ban, arguing that it’s unnecessary and ineffective.

Matthew Linares, a freshman, was blunt about his feelings: “The phone ban is dumb. I don’t like it.” Coming from a public school where there were no phone restrictions, Linares is struggling with the adjustment.

Junior Dashel Hart Levin offered a more nuanced take. He believes the ban should “depend on the class, depend on the teacher.” Some classes, he argues, have students with phone-related issues, while others do not. Levin feels that leaving the decision up to individual teachers would make more sense, rather than enforcing a schoolwide policy. While Levin hasn’t noticed any change in his own learning since the ban, a classmate pointed out that he’s been asking more questions in class—perhaps an unintended benefit of fewer distractions.

Sophomore Vale Leaño is a fan of TikTok and likes 80s nostalgia themed TikToks. She isn’t a fan of the new phone ban because she wants to record and capture her life both inside and out of the classroom through video so she can show her future kids and reminisce back on her high school golden years. 

“We aren’t in the 2000s, you know? We’re in 2024,” says Leaño, for Leaño, who often documents her life through photos, the ban has been a significant drawback.

The Nonchalants

(Photo courtesy of Kimberly Morera Cuellar)

Nonchalant contemplating his phone-free life whilst absorbing the afternoon sun.

Next, we have the “Nonchalants”—students who feel indifferent about the ban.

Senior Ava Liber is one of them. She admits that the phone ban is “sometimes necessary, sometimes not.” While Liber appreciates the intent behind the policy, she also argues that phones are personal property and questions whether the school has the right to confiscate them.

Wallace Snyder, a freshman, shared that his previous school had an even stricter phone policy, where phones weren’t allowed on campus at all. He sees both positives and negatives to the current policy at New Roads but is largely unfazed by the change.

Senior Henry Popolizio says the ban has not significantly affected him. “I gotta lock in during class now,” he says with a shrug. He adds that last year, teachers would take phones away if necessary, so this year hasn’t felt like a big shift.

The old-schoolers

(Photo courtesy of Kimberly Morera Cuellar)

Old-schooler caught indulging in old-school book.

Finally, we have the “Old-Schoolers”—those who fully support the ban and believe it’s long overdue.

History teacher Cody Brown is one such advocate. “I love it,” he said. Brown believes that everyone benefits from not having their phones, citing studies that show how phones negatively impact concentration and mental health. He’s so committed to the idea that he enforces the same rule at home, limiting his ten-month-old’s screen time.

Spanish teacher Sofia Vergara echoed Cody’s sentiments. She appreciates how the ban reduces distractions, particularly from the constant barrage of notifications. “It’s easier for everyone,” she said, noting the increased focus in her classroom.

Science teacher Jared Phillips shared that he had worked in schools with phone bans before the pandemic and saw firsthand how they improved student productivity. He’s noticed a difference at New Roads since the ban was put in place and is happy to see the school take this step.

Sophomore Willa Prawer believes the phone ban has reasonable limits like using it in passing periods and at lunch. “We have our computers anyway,” she says, implying that students have unlimited access to their computers and, if a student needs to use their cellular device, most teachers will let them use it. Her only critique is that it would be ideal to just keep the phones in your backpack. 

Update:

Journalism students Morera and Chonzi joined a recent meeting of the Digital Task Force hosted by Mario Johonson regarding the current phone policy and what steps regarding phone policy may be taken in the future. The meeting offered a broadened perspective about the phones from parents, administration, and many students. Parents stated that they were fine with the current phone ban, however taking away the phones completely can lead to safety issues. One parent highlighted the concern of safety for those who are more likely to find themselves in more vulnerable situations and who have been targeted because of their race. Many students acknowledged the idea of independence, mentioning how we should be able to choose when to unplug from our phones outside of classes, and that we can’t rely on staff to create that discipline for us. Students also discussed how, if phones were taken away, it would mean that the school would be taking away the opportunity for teachings about the real world which is what New Roads is preparing students for (and, essentially, phones are available in the real world). One parent at first had an indifference to the ban but after hearing student perspectives soon changed her mind and now says that the ban should stay as it is with no further restrictions, showing how the student body –specifically those who decided to devote their Tuesday evening to a zoom call– is dedicated and will fight for their voices to be heard.