After a successful SAB event where Pace students turned in their phones for the school day to win a prize, many students and faculty wondered if school would be better without these distractions. A large percent of Pace students participated, earning some ice cream during lunch. The event was organized to see if students could be less reliant on their phones in order to improve their mental health.
Mrs. Helen Smith, feels strongly that Pace would be better off without phones. She wishes that students would not have access to their phones during classes, break and lunch. “Teenagers are lonelier and feel more separate from their peers than they ever have been before,” affirmed Mrs. Smith. “This is sad and dangerous for our society and the individuals.” She continued to make her argument of banning phones during the school day by explaining that “we rely too much on social media for contact.” Other faculty members also shared very similar opinions. “I think that students are missing out on opportunities to connect with each other and interact face to face,” said Ms. Tara Harris. Faculty members like Ms. Harris are concerned about the effects of phones on the student body. Especially since teachers see students every day, they know and see first-hand the problems of phone usage. Overall, Pace teachers are concerned with the distractions and isolation that phones bring to their students, and many teachers want Pace to ban phones. Besides these real life experiences, research studies back up the faculty’s opinions. For example, a study from UNESCO found that it takes high school students up to twenty minutes to refocus after using a cell phone in a classroom. This is alarming because students take out and use their phones in between classes. Therefore, students may not be able to be fully focused on their lessons if phones create such a longstanding distraction.
On the other hand, there is a large number of Pace students begging to not ban phones from school. “I don’t think that Pace should ban phones outside of class because you need to be able to contact your parents. In high school, you have so much going on, that it is just inconvenient [to not have your phone with you],” says President of the junior class, Nicholas Demba. Another Pace high school student said that they “could not live without their phone.” These students’ opinions reflect a growing attachment to phones in high schools. Although, these concerns could be resolved with simple solutions: As long as students have their phones after 3:00 pm, parents and students should be able to communicate with each other just fine. If there was a necessary reminder or emergency during the school day, Mrs. Eagleson could transfer the message to the student. Emailing via computer could also be an alternative to communicating via phones. As well, students have not always needed a phone at school to communicate with their parents. In the lower school, communication is just fine and none of the kids have phones.
It is not uncommon for schools to start thinking about banning cell phones. Many schools around the country are trying to eliminate phones from the classroom in order to create a more focused learning environment. UNESCO’s data recommends a ban on smartphones at school for students of all ages, analyzing that countries that enforce phone restrictions see improved academic performance and less bullying.
But is banning phones during the school day at Pace really a possibility? No, parents would be outraged if students’ phones were restricted from use during the school day. Most likely, many parents would feel that this restriction is a loss of their child’s rights. However, I believe a potential ban of phones would not be any different than disallowing the use of other inappropriate behaviors that distract students in the classroom. With the growing amount of issues stemming from phone usage in high schools, many private schools will soon have to make a decision on whether phones belong at school or not.
