Education Reform

Hi there! I’m Madison, and I’m a senior, a daughter, a student, and a young woman navigating a world that often feels a bit unsafe. When Alabama implemented the FOCUS Act and banned phones in schools, I didn't feel more focused; I actually felt more vulnerable. As a girl, I already tend to be more cautious and aware of my surroundings. Now, I’m expected to go through my school day without the one thing that provided me comfort, connection, and a sense of safety.

My phone is my link to my paralyzed mom, helps calm my anxiety, and lets me reach out to my family or call for help if I ever need it. It’s not just about losing a device; it’s about losing our peace of mind. We’re not looking to scroll through TikTok during class; we just want to feel seen, heard, and protected. Thanks for understanding!

I use music to help me focus, without it I always have bad and stressful days . Also I've had situations where I was stranded in a bathroom where if I didn't have my phone I would have been stuck. I also have severe anxiety and depression so having something to calm me or being able to text friends after a test is always helpful. So I think that the phone ban will do more harm than good.

This feels like a law that was made without actually considering whether it would help students or not. We’ve been begging for resources and support for years, and instead were met with a phone ban. You can’t repeatedly ask students want they need, blatantly ignore them, and then think your solution will solve everything.

Block scheduling and study hall is important for all students in high school. When you reach high school, there are more classes, more work, more activities, etc. On top of that, kids are starting to get jobs, learn to drive cars and getting involved in their community. Some students even miss days of school due to being sick. Having a study hall helps many students alike to complete their schoolwork and makeup tests they miss. On top of that, having assignments spread out (because of block scheduling) help with time management, as assignments are typically due every other day. Taking these things away makes it even harder to manage high school. Not only is it taking time away from students, but having work from 7 classes everyday, and most likely having to finish it all in one night, would be very stressful. There would also be no time to makeup tests. On top of that, fitting 7 classes in one day + lunch and passing periods would be very difficult to expect and not give enough time to learn everything a class may require.

For example, I take part in the marching band at my school. Our rehearsals are from 3-7PM every Tuesday and Thursday, our school ending at 2:40PM. Sometimes we might have an additional rehearsal, it might be extended to 8PM, there's football games we perform at lasting until 9PM, and either competitions or band camps on Saturdays, taking away a day to finish up work on the weekend. Having a study hall has helped me complete my work and make up tests, and having a block schedule is beneficial to me so my work is spaced out, giving me more time to complete all of it. Without both, it'd be pretty much impossible to get work done on time with reasonable time to sleep. Without sleep, I won't be ready to learn for school. If my assignments are always late, I'd be getting bad grades. I'm not the only one with after-school activities - there are over 100 members in my marching band, and many other types of clubs take place at my school after the day is over. We all need our study hall time and block-scheduling to stay in order to manage some of the most fast-paced and stressful years of our lives while still getting our chance to do what we love.

With a student who does well in school but also suffers from a Chronic illness, this is really unfair. Some absents are just unavoidable.

I was sitting in class when my mom was trying to call me. She wanted to tell me that my grandma had just passed away from cancer. But I never got the call, because my phone was locked away in a Yondr pouch. When I got home, she broke down telling me that she couldn’t reach me in the moment she needed me most.

what if something happens?? so many school shootings and threats happen nowadays and students need their phones. they should be allowed to contact parents if something happens either in school or a personal issue. if anything teachers can take our phones during class and give them back after to use in hallways.

It’s not the fact we can’t be on them in class it’s the fact we have to leave them powered off and in our backpacks and we can’t even bring them to the bathroom so if there was an emergency we couldn’t call for help