This school year Westerville North High School has decided to implement an existing policy regarding the use of electronics in class.
The electronics policy prohibits electronics such as cell phones, airpods and speakers to be turned off during class. However, students are allowed to use their electronics during study hall, class period transitions in the hallway, and during lunch.
Although this rule is a new addition to the warrior commitments, using electronics in class without teacher permission has always been prohibited per the Westerville student handbook SEC.16. It is just this year that the whole district is enforcing the rule.
The policy was imagined during a meeting between a group of teachers who volunteered to come in, staff administrators, and student leaders.
Jennifer Carlson, a government teacher at North, was one of the people who was involved with the creation of the new enforcements of the electronics policy.
“Our number one item on the agenda are cell phones and the distraction that students aren’t able to focus and really be engaged in class,” Carlson said.
Students have had mixed reactions to the new enforcements of the electronics policy. Some students dislike the policy and believe that it should be removed or altered.
Olive Montgomery (2026) is one of the students who is more against the policy.
“I don’t really see why we have to have a phone policy,” Montgomery said, “I just feel like you should have the common decency to put it away and not use it.”
Students may experience an addiction to being on their phone. Research from ScienceDirect found that “when students have difficulty controlling their smartphone use, there is a potential that they are experiencing smartphone addiction.” On the other hand, some students believe the policy is reasonable, but that it should still be slightly altered.
Shiloh Turover (2025) is a student who has a more neutral opinion on the policy. “It’s a little annoying, but overall it’s pretty much fine,” Turover said.
