Many students at Branford High, as well as their parents, feel the new Yondr Pouches are unfair, unsafe, and inconvenient. In past years, the phone policy worked well, as it limited distractions while still allowing us to contact family in emergencies. Most students respected those rules. Instead of building on that success, the school switched to Yondr, which punishes the entire student body, even those who followed the old plan. In the wake of the recent Minnesota tragedy, these concerns and other people's anxiety have only grown.

What was before Yondr At Branford High?

The previous phone limitation plan at Branford High School was a classroom ban only. When walking into a class (except for Study Halls), students would place their Cell Phones in a pouch in the classroom for class time. After class, they would retrieve it. This process was repeated with each class; students HAD and WERE ABLE TO USE their devices at lunch.

What are some reasons/issues?

The main issue is safety. Students should have peace of mind that their family is only a swipe of a screen or the click of a button away during an emergency. With Yondr, that peace of mind is gone, leaving everyone more vulnerable. While the intent is to reduce distractions, locking up everyone's phones creates more problems than it solves. The ban may make students feel unsafe in school; this is not because of an addiction, but rather due to the stated reason of having extra steps to take in an emergency. First Responders don't wait to take action when an emergency unfolds, so why should students be forced to take said extra steps? Students deserve immediate access to their families and/or 911 in the event of danger.

Another reason. The previous phone limitation plan allowed students to have their phones during non-instructional time (when students are in a non-instructional class, like a study hall). Having access to their phone was helpful to students who used their devices during passing time to check their schedule, send a quick message to a friend or family member regarding a non-emergency topic, students who used their devices at lunch to keep themselves busy if they do not have peers in their lunch wave or study hall to keep themselves busy and not distracting people who are using the time to study.

In the wake of the Minnesota tragedy, parents told News 8 on August 29th that they don't feel safe not having immediate contact with their children. 

Here is what a Branford Mother, Tammy Paine, said to News 8 about the new policy:

"I have no problem with them not having their phones during a functioning classroom time, but outside of that, during their day, they should be allowed access to their phones. It is a reality, it's happened in the state of Connecticut, we're not immune to it," Paine said.

What could be done differently if the old plan were reinstated?

The class instructor should better enforce the limitation plan in place in previous years. For example, once the late bell rings, teachers would check each pocket to make sure the student's device is in the respective pouch. This should include substitutes. If a student fails to follow the rule, they should be given one chance to place the phone in the designated slot; if this fails, the student will be referred to the administration for further consequences. The class instructor should encourage students to place their phones in the designated slot and remind them of the consequences if they fail to do so. 

Why do we want to achieve this?

Branford High deserves a policy that balances classroom focus with student safety. Returning to the old system would have students and parents in a better state of mind and make school a safer place to be