Revert FCPS’s new high school phone policy.

Fairfax County Public Schools recently implemented a new cell phone policy that severely restricts student phone use during the school day — even during lunch and passing periods. This change is unnecessary, counterproductive, and frankly, disrespectful. It treats high schoolers like incompetent children rather than the young adults we are.

We are calling on FCPS to revert the cell phone policy back to what it was last year: allowing responsible phone use during non-instructional times and at teachers’ discretion during class. That policy struck a fair balance between structure and freedom — this new one swings too far toward control.

This policy impacts more than just students. While we’re the ones stripped of basic autonomy, teachers now have to waste class time policing devices instead of teaching. Parents lose the ability to contact their kids during the day, even for simple check-ins or emergencies. Students who rely on phones for translation, time management, or mental health support are especially affected. And those preparing for college, jobs, or adult life are being denied the chance to practice responsible tech use in a real-world setting.

This is bigger than just phones. At stake is the trust between students and the system meant to educate us. The message this policy sends is clear: students can’t be trusted, even when they’ve done nothing wrong. That’s demoralizing, especially for upperclassmen trying to grow into adulthood. This kind of micromanagement stunts maturity and teaches compliance instead of responsibility. If left unchallenged, it opens the door for more overreach and even less student voice in school decision-making.

We aren’t asking to be on our phones 24/7. We’re asking to be treated like young adults. We’re asking to be trusted. And we’re asking for a policy that reflects the reality of high school in 2025 — not one built on fear or control.

Sign this petition and help us bring back a policy that respects student responsibility, supports real-world learning, and restores basic fairness.