Staff across UC High have begun implementing a new phone policy that will encourage students to engage in classroom activities and experience school learning without being distracted by their phones.
UC High School’s Associate Principal Antwon Lincoln said, “The phone policies are very simple. Students should put their phones away when teachers are teaching. They are tasked to work on classwork without distractions.”
Lincoln added, “This policy has always been around, but teachers didn’t enforce it as much last year, due to students coming back from the pandemic. For two years the phone was your best friend, your girlfriend and your teacher, so here we are now asking you on day one to learn from an actual person in front of you.”
During class time, also, many teachers forbid students from bringing their cell phones along to the restroom. The school’s administration has requested that restrooms be a “No Phone Zone.” “Sometimes, students take their phones to the bathroom, and they spend a little more time in the bathroom than they should,” said Lincoln.
The usage of phones for matters unrelated to the class agenda may compel students to lose track of the topics being taught. Language and Art Teacher Georgia Fouseki said, “I feel that there is a time and a place for phones and if the teacher has a designated assignment or something that will require the use of phones, it would make sense… Otherwise, it’s just taking away from students’ learning experience.”
Senior Yu Liu said, “I think that the phone policy is not very necessary when it comes to high schoolers, as most are already responsible enough to make their own decisions. As a high schooler myself, I don’t let my phone distract me from work and I believe it is the same for most.”
The policy is expected to set students up for academic success. AP Government Teacher Lisa Perry said, “The lack of access to their phones during note taking and regular classroom academics, especially during testing, will kind of get some students prepared more, because they know they will not have access to that technology, whether they are hiding it or not.” She added, “So far, I’m pleasantly surprised. I haven’t had any issues with it.”
Fouseki said, “The phone policy will help maintain consistency throughout the classrooms. This way students can avoid disruptions and can be more focused. Since most of my students are freshmen, they are coming in ready to take in those rules which maybe are more flexible than before, so I feel they are doing really well with following the rules.”
Perry said, “I think that most students like structure; I think that if everybody is following the rules, it makes it easier for others to do the same thing. I think the new phone policy is a good idea, because it creates consistency across the campus.”