Teen Rights

The policy of confiscating students’ phones under the guise of maintaining order is, in essence, a lazy and authoritarian approach. It blatantly infringes on students’ basic rights and disregards the critical roles phones play in emergencies and learning. Such a heavy-handed measure not only fails to address the root of the issue but also breeds dissatisfaction and defiance among students. True management lies in education and guidance, fostering self-discipline rather than relying on forceful control. Adopting more thoughtful and flexible measures is the only intelligent way to maintain order while respecting students’ rights.

As a student, I rely on my phone for so much more than just texting or social media—it's my lifeline for staying organized, finding quick answers for assignments, and even ensuring I can contact my family in emergencies. Confiscating our phones punishes everyone, even those of us who use them responsibly. Instead of taking them away, let’s focus on teaching responsible phone use. This policy is overreaching, and it hurts students more than it helps. Let’s find a better solution that respects our needs and our ability to manage our own devices!

Imagine you step into a place, try to fit in, learn, and grow, but suddenly a policy takes something important away. It takes away your current life.

Think about the challenges facing ENL and immigrant students in our schools. Many are learning a new language and culture, feeling like outsiders in an unfamiliar system. What happens? New isolation results where they only talk to people of their own race. This is even more difficult because the devices or objects they use to communicate and learn are taken away.

Think about history. During Prohibition in the United States, banning alcohol didn’t solve problems — it created new ones. People found other, often worse, ways to cope. This shows that policies don’t solve problems either. Instead, they lead to more dropouts and even bullying when students act out under pressure.

I need my phone for emergency or staying in contact with my family, and I can’t rely on the school to do that for me.

The escalation of the phone policy has become an issue for students. It is only reasonable to understand that students need to focus on education and limits are being placed in order to insure that these students do so, but removing a students ability to use their cellular device not only in the hallway but in the library and in free periods as well has placed a weight on their shoulders to balance all of their work and social life in only time outside of school. The use of devices has become a part of almost every aspect of our society, these students need time to communicate and self regulate. Many students use their devices as regulatory devices, to step away from stress, speak to people they need, and to inform parents of what may be going on. For those who struggle with Anxiety, Depression, Adhd, and many other disorders that require a dependable resource as a method of coping, will now have this coping mechanism forcibly taken from them. These are our free times. If a policy about phones wants to prevent phone use during our education periods, then it should be fair for us to expect accommodations to be made so that students can have places to use them in their free time as well. The policy is making an attempt to completely remove cellular devices, teaching students a lack of accountability in their own lives, and that they will never be seen as equals in the Francis Lewis High School facility. Students are already struggling, with the stress placed on their shoulders by the education system, and other aspects in their daily life. Feeling as if we have no say in the things that happen to us and that those who are supposed to be teaching us have a superiority complex over us only makes it a stressful part of our lives. Education is supposed to ensure students understand the important parts of history, math, science, and that we learn what is needed for our lives and career paths. It was never supposed to be about forcing people to learn. Even our resources to stay on top of school work are all online, how are we expected to catch up on assignments, tutoring, projects, studying, without allowing phone use. Not only that but we the student body can also agree that if schools were healthier places to be, we would not be concerned about our devices. These phones are being put on first priority over other issues. We propose an important question, why are we not this concerned about students using substances to cope, or helping those who struggle with mental health issues, or the fact that even the bathrooms don't feel safe because over 50 percent of the stalls in this facility have lock issues. We have seen no changes being made on these topics which we hold to a higher degree than our devices, because not everyone abuses the use of their phones but almost the entire student body struggles with mental health issues. The day that we are made to feel comfortable and safe while receiving our education would be the day that phones stop being an issue. Focus on the students, not what you believe will make us look good on the surface. Our phones are our safe places, and maybe the older generations see this as an issue, but we have developed communities for everyone to be heard and understood. Devices are a part of our daily lives, removing our access to them and rejecting development, unnecessary pressure on students and is only sending us back ignoring the advancements that we did make.

as a student i think this policy is absurd because the reliance that most students have on their phones to communicate with parents, get home and stay safe is a major role in our lives. taking that away from us for days is absurd and even dangerous to some of us because our phones are a need.

As a student, I rely on my phone for so much more than just texting or social media—it's my lifeline for staying organized, finding quick answers for assignments, and even ensuring I can contact my family in emergencies. Confiscating our phones punishes everyone, even those of us who use them responsibly. Instead of taking them away, let’s focus on teaching responsible phone use. This policy is overreaching, and it hurts students more than it helps. Let’s find a better solution that respects our needs and our ability to manage our own devices!

As a student I find that the phone policy creates a certain distrust between the student body and faculty. Policies like this that escalate minor situations are what cause divisions within a school setting. Forget about the hallway policy for a moment and realize phones are also banned in the library, a place where students go to do homework, study, or other various work. Not only might you need your phone for these things but the school has recently implemented a new tutoring website for students, sometimes the tutoring center may not be available or you may be too shy to go speak to actual people but you can’t even use the new tutoring website because it’s online and you need to be on an electronic device. Computers and school issued devices are limited and are therefore not an appropriate replacement for the phones that most every student has. This is not just a complaint from us students anymore. Even teachers will complain because lessons were created with the use of electronics in mind and now work arounds must be made because even with the teacher’s instructions or permission students are not allowed on their phones.