Over the summer, Ohio Governor Mike Dewine signed House Bill 250 which requires “all districts place an emphasis on limiting cell phone use and reducing cell phone-related distractions in classrooms.”
In the Westerville City School District, there has been a pho
ne policy in the student handbook for years, the handbook was last reviewed in 2023 but was not strictly enforced until last year, when North’s staff were instructed to try to keep students off their phones.
The phone policy at North is not as strict as other schools. Students are still made to put their phones into pouches. This is a major safety concern as students will not be able to communicate with parents during an emergency. This policy is not a good idea as the top priority in these situations should be communication in case things go bad.
On September 4, there was a school shooting at Apalachee High School in Georgia and this concern became a reality. Students had their phones on their person, but they were locked in a magnetic pouch. Because of these pouches, students could not communicate with their parents. One of the parents said, “If they want to keep phones out of school, perhaps they should figure out how to keep the guns out of schools first.” (5newsonline) The idea that students may be unable to contact family members and loved ones in the event of a disaster is troubling, to say the least. Are phones really enough of an issue to put students in a position where they are unable to say goodbye to their parents in a tragedy?
Westerville North students’ reaction to the phone policy is widely negative. The senior class is close to becoming legal adults, why should they be treated like children when they will join the workforce in less than a year? While the focus of high school is to teach students, it is also intended to prepare them for college and a job; an environment in which they will be expected to work without the encouragement of phone pouches. While it is understandable for underclassmen to be expected to put their phones up, to treat soon-to-be adults the same way seems illogical.
The Odyssey conducted a poll, via Instagram stories, in which Westerville North students were asked if their grades had improved since having their phones taken. Out of the 68 respondents, 85% agreed they saw no improvement and 15% reported that they had. If one of the main reasons for taking students’ phones is grade improvement, why is the a wide consensus that this is untrue? Not only has the school district failed to provide any concrete evidence that this policy has made any significant positive change, but it also shows mistrust in its students and an inability to treat them with the level of respect warranted by individuals who are already old enough to fight in wars and vote in elections.
