With the start of this new school year, there has been a new phone policy put in place by the county, alongside many other schools across the nation. With this new policy you are disallowed to use your phone, or even just have it out, from the first to last bell. This includes non-instructional time (lunch time, hallways, free time in class.) 

     We students at East Ridge High School believe this method of controlling phone use is unfair and harsh. Phones never seemed to be a big enough problem for there to be a change to the previous policy that disallowed phones only during instructional time. It is not just the students, but teachers and admin too. We have heard many teachers have negative opinions regarding the phone ban, and it is said that admin does not like enforcing it.

     No one enjoys or benefits greatly enough from the phone ban for it to be enforced this way. I, myself, do not enjoy how wrong it feels to carry a phone in my pocket. It feels as if I am carrying contraband, something I shouldn’t have at all. If my phone slips into view from shifting in my pocket, I feel as if I’ll get in trouble. 

     My best friend (who shall remain unnamed for privacy reasons) has expressed such major concerns about the phone ban that he has considered doing online school next year because of it. I have heard some students say it has benefited them, but not enough to justify the way it is enforced. We see no problem in the previous phone policy, and it is important we can get back to that as soon as possible. 

We don’t like it. Teachers don’t like it. Admin doesn’t like it. If it’s not helpful, why keep it?