Starting this year, the English department enacted a new cell phone policy which asks all students to put their phones away for the duration of class. Phones being banned has been a recurring practice around the country, including Florida, and Los Angeles County.
According to teachers, cell phones can restrict connections, and inhibit quality discussions from happening. This is where their new solution comes into play.
“Phones disable students from being able to think critically and socialize,” sophomore English teacher Michelle Titus said.
Titus has had many incidents in recent years where students have struggled to pay attention and make bonds in class.
“I would ask questions with no response,” Titus said. “Just missing conversations.”
Though English is the only department at Northwest that requires students to put their phones away, other departments also partake in enforcing the no phones rule. Other teachers have created a reward system by giving extra credit for putting phones in a wall pouch or wooden box at the beginning of class. In his classroom, history teacher Todd Boren expects students to keep phones in their bags, it’s the student’s responsibility to want to learn.
“I metaphorically refer to as their crack, like they have to learn to live without it and they have to learn to focus and stay attentive,” Boren said. “I truly believe that there are a lot of kids who are addicted to their phones, and because of that, it impairs their ability to learn.”
Some students, on the other hand, believe that the no phone policy is unnecessary.
“I do feel like if they wanted students to focus more, taking away their phone shouldn’t be the main thing,” junior Jimmy Bullocks explained. “Because if a student truly didn’t care, then they’ll most likely find a way to distract themselves.”
On the first day of school, Bullocks walked into his English class and was told about the phone policy.
“I instantly know that ELA for the rest of the year will be boring and the lowest part of my day,” Bullocks said. “It ruined my first day.”
Other students think it’s okay to take phones during instructional time, but not during downtime.
“I think it’s necessary whenever the teachers are talking,” Sophomore Tiffany Silva Toral stated. “But when we work alone we should be able to have it.”
English teacher Eric Williams has offered the extra credit option for a couple of years and will continue to use this method as he thinks it’s beneficial to his classroom.
“I don’t approach it in a combative way when I do ask them to put their phones away,” Williams said. “I prefer students to voluntarily give up their phones.”
