When the Lumberjacks came back from Christmas break, they struggled with a change totally unrelated to the new year. The school board and administration had installed a new phone policy that completely shifted life at Council High School. The policy basically made using phones on school grounds during regular school hours (including lunch and passing periods) banned.
Naturally, students had many different opinions about the new rules. I sent out a survey to find out the general attitude towards the change. I received 13 anonymous responses that said I could use their words. Six of the responders rated the policy a one out of five, most stating that they hated it and that they wish they could use their phone in their own time, such as at lunch. However, three students said that it was a three or more out of five, saying that they’re glad there aren’t as many distractions anymore. When asked, “What are some pros you see with the new policy?” one student said, “More people interacting with each other,” while another said, “Literally nothing.” Obviously, the opinions range quite a bit. Some kids named potential danger as a con, because their parents would be unable to reach them. This concern was addressed by the policy stating that parents can reach their students through the office phone at all times. Some students wrote that they didn’t see any super big cons, and that those who did were addicted to their phones. Five students said that the policy was hard to get used to, while some students answered that it didn’t really change anything because they weren’t on their phones.
Overall, the results of the survey were pretty inconclusive, so I interviewed a few students at the high school to get their opinions. Kassidy Iveson, a sophomore, said, “The phone policy has really changed the focus. Now students actually look up in the hallways and interact with each other.” This is definitely true. I’ve noticed that the students have more conversations with each other at lunch instead of spending time on their phones. Andrew Mendenhall, a senior, said, “My phone battery lasts a lot longer now!”
Any change is hard to get used to, but it seems that the students at Council High are adjusting pretty well to the new policy.
