Lewis Cass Jr./Sr. High School has had one new bombshell rule change this year and one rule is being reinforced. The rule change is students may no longer have backpacks or any kind of bag in the classroom. This next rule change may seem like a change, but it is not one at all. Students are no longer allowed to have personal communication devices (cell phones) in the classroom, and it must stay in the locker. Many students believe the rule of having no cellphones in class is new, but actually, it has always been in the student handbook. However it was left to teachers’ discretion to take it or not, but now it is school policy that teachers must take your cell phone if it is seen in class.
When researching and writing this article, I decided not to just talk about the rules, but I asked teachers and students their opinions about the new rule changes, and the responses I received were interesting. As most of you know, Mr. Hurst is the head of the Art Department here at Lewis Cass and teaches photography and ceramics classes where students usually use their phones to take pictures or use them as references for their projects in those classes. With these new rules changess there are no phones allowed. I asked Mr. Hurst what the negative effects of the changes were, if any. He responded, “Not having phones has impacted the art room in ways we didn’t think about. One example, students used to use their phones for reference photos in the ceramics room. That way they didn’t get clay all over their computers and ruin them. Other examples include how we took progress photos of projects as the students worked. We would often take photos of students posing to use as reference. The biggest impact will be on photography next semester. As of now, students will not be allowed to use phones to take pictures. So, I am working on a solution to cameras before second semester.¨
On the other hand, Mrs. Karmel, head of the Foreign Language Department, was asked the same question, and she responded, ¨I think that some teachers are struggling to enforce the new rule which creates inconsistency and confusion. It’s not easy to be strict, but I think it will be worth it.¨ Then I asked both teachers a different question: what are the benefits to the changes? If any? Mr. Hurst responded to my question that he feels students are being more social,¨One benefit that I have noticed is during mentor. The kids seem to be interacting with each other more and talking more. Instead of playing games on their phones, they are playing board games with each other……or doing homework, of course.¨ Mrs Karmel replied to the questions similarly by saying, “I think a phone-free classroom allows teachers to deal with one less discipline issue. It allows students to enjoy their classmates and hopefully their classes a little more.”
Now many can agree students disagree with the new rules, but junior Mckenzie McCarty said, “It doesn’t really matter to me because I carry enough already, and I do not need a backpack.” To get a jr high perspective, seventh grader Maleigh Deeter says her sixth-grade experience helped prepare her for the new rules, and she does not notice any difference. On the other hand, junior Eliana Cicalo disagrees with the new rule changes. When interviewed about the benefits to the changes, if any? She responded with, “Obviously there are a few benefits to these changes such as kids perhaps not being so distracted in class by things like their phones, and backpacks no longer cluttering classrooms, but whether these outweigh the negative effects still remains to be seen.”
So, although these rule changes may seem annoying to students, I personally think there are benefits such as being more social in class and being a more active learner in class. There are also downsides to not having phones such as in art classes not being able to use phones for projects. But, all in all, this rule change might not be as bad as it seems.