The start of the 2025-2026 school year marked the beginning of the in-school phone ban. Each morning, students must hand in their phones and only regain access to them at the end of the day, or if they take lunch out..
Last year, the possibility of a phone ban stirred rage and confusion amongst the student body—especially considering how many teachers had expressed that the phone bins worked well. The administration’s implementation of a phone ban seemed rather abrupt. They claimed that the ban was executed in order to have more bonding within the grades; the students felt this answer was not concrete enough to implement a complete ban.
Students were concerned about not having a cell phone during out-lunch because they felt unsafe walking around the city without it. This problem was resolved, as students are allowed to access their phones during out-lunch.
Now, the most widespread complaint has been the difficulty of navigating through school without having easy access to schedules, amended schedules, and not being able to frequently check gmail.
Junior Lily Weiss said, “It’s definitely something to get used to, and it’s going to take time. [The crowded atrium at dismissal] makes getting out of school time consuming, a safety hazard, and a fire hazard.”
The challenge of grabbing phones at the end of the day has caused frustration amongst the student body. Students now rush to leave the building in order to grab their phones, which creates utter chaos in the lobby. Additionally, the ban has altered students’ time management. Students now try to arrive at school as close to the bell as possible so they do not need to hand in their phones; this system is clearly flawed. If the administration could find a way to lessen the chaos, it would ease the stress of the students and improve the overall experience.