The newest challenge for teens across Indiana is Senate Bill 185, otherwise known as, the bill that puts a state-wide ban on phones during school. The bill entailed guidelines for schools in the state to prevent students using their phone in class. After being passed last year, it is now currently being enforced in every school of Indiana. Some schools are incredibly compliant with the bill, letting students use it at teacher’s discretion or during lunch. Some schools, however, are taking it to an extreme whereas phones are only allowed in your locker. So, where is New Castle in this mix and what does the phone bill truly entail?
Senate Bill 185, like most school based bills, stays quite simple so that the schools may adapt it to what’s best for their students; “Each school corporation and charter school shall adopt and implement a wireless communication device policy that: … prohibits a student from using a wireless communication device during instructional time…” It states that schools must set-up a restrictive rule so that students are not using their phone during instructional time with said rules visible on the school’s website. The bill also notes that teachers are allowed to authorize use of a phone if they deem it necessary. The bill allows schools to decide how they want to enforce the rules.
Many teachers at NCHS allow earbuds and headphones during class to help students who may have difficulty studying. Some teachers even allow phone use near the end of class, after instructional time has ended.
Disregarding NCHS, there are plenty of schools who have different phone policies. A great example of a different school policy would be Rushville Consolidated High School. According to the RCHS Student Handbook, the use of phones is almost entirely prohibited within the school. The use of a phone is prohibited during passing periods, during class, or if a student is sneaking away into the restroom. The punishment if a student is spotted with a phone is that it will be confiscated until the end of the day. The use of earbuds is completely banned at RCHS. The only time wireless communication devices are allowed at RCHS is during their lunch period.
At NCHS, Principal Kirk Amman is one of the people that oversaw the decision of how NCHS would handle the new phone rules, “We all came together and came up with how to enforce a new policy without being too restrictive on the students.” There was an intense discussion about the phone bill. He states that when the phone bill was implemented, the school directors looked over it and decided that they should still allow students some freedom of use because they believe that being too restrictive could cause students to be dismissive in class. Amman, however, does believe that students have a problem with phone addiction, so he still wants students to refrain from using their phone if possible. NCHS’s punishment is dependent on the teacher but often are only referrals. Too many referrals, however, and it becomes a case of insubordination.
Has the new policy actually been working? Both Amman and Teacher John Thompson see success so far. Thompson specifically states that the extra incentive to turn the phone off is incredibly helpful in class. He was also glad when the bill was passed because he thought that not enough attention was being brought to the issue, “I am happy that attention is being brought to the phones … because the phones become so much of a distraction.” With the new policy, he states that less students have been distracted by their phone. Thompson truly believes that there is a phone addiction problem in today’s world. Some students can’t go a whole hour without checking their phone.
Sophomore Kaden Stoffer had a bit more of a complex opinion on the bill. Prior to this year, he was against the bill. He thought it was unnecessary and quite overkill concerning the freedom of allowing students to use their cellular devices. He thinks that the phone is property of the students, and the school limiting their own property is incredibly excessive. “I mean, a phone is someone’s property, the school should not dictate how we use our property.” Stoffer, however, changed his opinions as this year started. He finishes his work timely, which lets the teacher allow the use of his phone in class. He, however, does keep his phone in his pocket, but says he doesn’t feel the need to use it if it were to go off.
Students of NCHS, the phone policies at New Castle are not that bad considering other schools.The phone is just designed to help communication when in school, being addicted to it can cause serious mental problems. It is never too late to try to put the phone down.
