See above. Supporter from east

As a student of East Middle School in Great Falls, MT, I believe that we should have the right to use our phones during lunch breaks or have our phones on us(just like north middle school). This issue is personal to me because I think that in case of an emergency, we could message our parents to let them know what's going on and keep them informed if something were to happen, another issue arises when family emergency’s are involved, when something happens outside of school we may need to have some bit of closure on the active situation .

Currently, our school policy requires us to keep phones locked away in lockers throughout the day. However, this can be problematic when unexpected situations arise and immediate communication with family members is needed. According to a Pew Research Center study, 95% of teens have access to a smartphone and 45% say they are online 'almost constantly'. With such widespread usage among young people today, it seems counterintuitive not to utilize these devices for safety purposes during school hours. Even just having emergency access to our phones in our binder would be enough.

Moreover, allowing phone use during lunch breaks could also foster responsibility and digital citizenship among students as they learn how best to manage their time with technology.

Therefore, we urge the administration at East Middle to reconsider its current policy on phone usage. Let's allow students the freedom and security of using their phones during lunchtime while also teaching them valuable lessons about responsible digital behavior.  Please sign this petition if you support this change!