New this school year, Essex Tech administration is attempting to require that students put their cell phones in pockets at the front of the room during classes. A reliable source informs us that the reason for this new policy is the texting and cell phone use that an Administrator observed while conducting a tour of a CTE area last year, although it is likely that there were other factors that provoked the administration to take this action.

The Essex North Shore 2021-2022 student handbook states that the “Use of cell phones or any other electronic devices in the classroom unless granted permission by a staff member” is a level one offense the first time it occurs and a level two offense the second time it occurs. The school handbook does not contain any policies requiring that students surrender their cell phones at the start of class. Because of this, students cannot be penalized for refusing to surrender their device, as long as the device is away and not being utilized without permission. 

While it is understandable that Essex Tech administration would want to curb the use of cell phones at inappropriate/distracting times, this measure is a clear infringement on students' rights to their property. As stated by Justice Abe Fortas in the Tinker V. Des Moines majority opinion, “In our system, state-operated schools may not be enclaves of totalitarianism. School officials do not possess absolute authority over their students. Students… are possessed of fundamental rights which the State must respect, just as they themselves must respect their obligations to the State.” While we respect Essex Tech's efforts to maintain a focussed learning environment, the measures they can take to achieve this goal are not limitless. 

Many students have anxiety and being forced to surrender their personal property, especially something as important and valuable as a cell phone, is triggering. Who is liable for cell phones that are stolen from pockets? Students forgetting phones and having to leave class to retrieve them or dealing with possible theft creates an even bigger distraction than the cell phones themselves. 

Furthermore, as a technical school aimed at preparing students to enter the workforce, learning to manage distractions and learning when phone use is and is not appropriate is a critical employability skill that students are unable to learn if their phones are simply taken from them.

We, as the Essex Tech Student Body, reject this attempt by the administration to strip our right to autonomy over our personal property. At this time, we are reserving the right to keep our phones in our possession during the entire duration of the school day.