This year, students at Carrboro High School are not allowed to use their personal computers at school. Without them, students cannot easily access study materials, research websites, dual-enrollment coursework, or resources for college applications, including the Common App and college essays. As a result, students are forced to complete this work outside of school, taking time away from homework, extracurricular activities, and other responsibilities. This adds unnecessary stress to an already demanding school year.

We understand that the school wants to prevent students from playing games or becoming distracted during class. However, there are ways to address these concerns without completely restricting students from using their personal computers. School-issued computers can also be used for non-academic activities, so banning personal devices does not fully solve the problem.

High school students are old enough to be given a reasonable degree of responsibility and autonomy over their education. Students should be trusted to make responsible choices about whether they are paying attention and completing their work, while also being held accountable for the consequences of those choices.

We believe students should be allowed to use their personal computers for legitimate academic purposes at school, with reasonable guidelines in place to prevent misuse. Allowing this would give students better access to the resources they need, help them manage their workloads more effectively, and reduce unnecessary stress.