The Pro’s/Con’s and perceived unfairness of School Phone Pouches: Restricting Students’ Access to Their Phones
The implementation of phone pouches in schools has been a topic of much debate. Designed to decrease distractions and promote focus on academic studies, these pouches restrict students from using their phones until the end of the day. While the intention may be admirable, it is essential to analyze the potential negative consequences that come with such strict regulations. This article will discuss the unfairness of school phone pouches and the impact they have on students but also address the positive aspects of no personal electronic devices in schools.
The use of phone pouches in schools infringes upon students’ personal freedom, as they are not allowed to access their devices even during break periods or lunchtime. This strict regulation differs from real-world settings, where individuals manage their time and usage of technology based on personal preferences and utilize their phones for a variety of uses other than watching movies or playing video games.
While it is true that excessive phone usage may lead to distractions in class, schools should encourage students to develop responsible habits rather than forcibly restricting their access to technology. Many educational apps and platforms can be accessed through smartphones, providing alternative learning opportunities that might not be available within classrooms.
One problem with the pouches are some students have banged the lock and cracked it open. Other students have ripped open their pouches, which resulted in paying a replacement fee. Some students are not putting their photos in the pouches and other students are sneaking them in their bags trying to use them without the teachers knowing. Many feel that if their is going to be a policy the best way for that policy work is that we are as close to 100% compliance as possible.
Restricting students’ access to their phones throughout the day raises perceived safety concerns, as they are unable to contact parents, guardians or emergency services when necessary. The constant accessibility of a mobile device can provide a sense of security for both parents and children. Although the school say parents can contact the office, then have student paged, that seems long and cumbersome and not as efficient as instant communication. For some students, taking a brief break during lunch or between classes to communicate with family and friends can offer stress relief and maintain mental balance. Access to phones can also be essential for those with medical conditions that require monitoring through apps or receiving notifications about medications.
Despite being designed to prevent cheating and unauthorized usage during class hours, school phone pouches may inadvertently promote dishonest behavior. Resourceful students might use alternative methods to access technology or bring additional devices without proper consent, leading to a disregard of school rules and potential mistrust among peers.
Although the intentions behind implementing phone pouches in schools are well-meaning, it is crucial to consider the potential negative consequences that come with strict regulations on students’ access to their phones. A more practical solution would involve addressing the root cause of excessive tech usage and encouraging students to cultivate responsible habits. Schools should strike a balance between students’ freedom while maintaining an environment conducive to learning, rather than taking such drastic measures.
Surveying students at JSEC we received the following quotes from students regarding the Yonder Pouches and the new phone policy:
Student Voices:
“The new pouches seem useless because students are cracking them open, breaking it, and lying that they don’t have a phone in school but are using them in the bathrooms. I believe all students should be able to have a phone then if they are using at an inappropriate time or for bad purpose, then they should be made to use a pouch”-Roula Al-Gburi
“Students should at the very least be able to use them at lunch”-Sarahi Cabrera
“I don’t like them because our parents cannot call us and we cannot contact them when we need to”-Bryan Cruz Espinal
“We need our phones but it’s not that big a deal but needed it to scan a QR Code and were unable to” -Jasmayra Hernandez
“I personally like the new pouches, we learn more, students get to know each other more and there is less drama here” -Anonymous
“I think the new phone policy is making us miserable” -Melvin
“I don’t like it because I need my phone for Google Translate”-Jennifer Espinal Mejia
“I like it a lot, there have been no fights, no rumors, nobody sending messages about each other, no photos being sent around and kids really are paying attention more to their teachers, I don’t want to put my name because I’m sure other students will give me a hard time for expressing this” – Anonymous
Phones have always been a very important part of our lives we use them for texting, calling maybe even getting up in the morning and other personal accommodations, despite all of the good things that can come from a held hand device is there can also be just amount as bad. In this essay i will be comparing the pros and cons of being able to have a device in school.
Why are phones good for school?
To begin with a very basic and bold point, phones can be used for emergency purposes, though the chances are very slim, it would be hard to contact emergency services or relatives in a bad situation if students are not allowed to use phones. It would also make it a lot more difficult to reach out to children assuming they don’t have a phone that they can access to get information from their parents or outside sources. Phones in class can also be used for convenient research. If a student is researching a non-academic site then the School District should block sites. Since phones themselves have little to no filter then security measures must be put into place by each school’s Administration.
Another point is that phones gives us easy mobility to listen to music which can then increase a student’s work focus and output. Many students work better with music cancel out other distractions that often reside in a classroom setting. Research from the Kaufman Music Center Shows that music boosts IQ’s, focus, and persistence.
Why could phones be bad for school?
With the introduction of YONDR coming to JSEC there has been an overall increase in socialization amongst people since the 2020 Covid Pandemic. This goes to show that when students don’t have an easy access to visual stimulation from dopamine that they get from mobile devices, they resort to other things which gives them overall comfort .
The next point is that test scores have been the lowest they have ever been in 2 decades and teachers would find it safe to assume since these devices are being used 90% of the class period it would be the reasoning behind such terrible scores. Phones can also assist a student in cheating to find answers with the use of things like mathways and chat gpt With these aps students no longer actually would have to think about the work they are doing with the advancement of technology that we have today and these sites solve problems and even write reports for students. This can not be good because actual learning and demo of learning would not take place due to this.
Whether we should or should not have phones varies on each individual because there is a small group of people that can control themselves with the use of technology and shouldn’t be forced to use YONDR Pouches. There are others who are on their phones 24-7 and never pay attention in class because they are glued on social media or Tic Tok sites. This year should be interesting to see how the year prevails with the YONDR Pouches.
We shall see how the pouches effect data, test scores, class grades, behavior, etc…..it will be interesting to see what the end results are. Most middle schools who have used them saw increases in student attention, high test scores, and reduced behavioral issues. Although JSEC is piloting this program along with our sister school 360, both schools seem to be on the same page regarding high compliance and following protocol.
