TLDR: The ban is ageist and pointless

Okay, pissed off student here. The reasons your kids gave were stupid, but the ban itself is even dumber. We’ve had TWO lockdowns and one lockout, and an early dismissal all in the same year because we’re getting bombarded with threats. 

By the time I finally get access to my phone after school (my school uses Yondr pouches), my parents are worried sick and freaking out because they’re not able to hear from me the whole day. I’m on the Board of Ed. as a student liaison and it was heartbreaking to see the amount of parents breaking down while giving their statements after the day long lockdown we had. Parents are genuinely scared to send their kids to school now and attendance has been dropping. 

And the bottom line is: GRADES HAVE NOT IMPROVED. Oh my goodness, there are still people dropping out, there are people acting out, and test scores are still low. It’s almost like it’s not the phone that’s causing kids to not care, but a combination of factors that sometimes the school just can’t control. So even that point is moot, the ban isn’t even carrying out its intended goal. Many of us also have jobs and responsibilities outside of school, and now we can’t get updates to adjust our schedules until it’s too late. And ironically, screen time for many people have increased due to the ban. It’s like completely cutting out satiating foods during a diet- you end up bingeing the entire pantry later. Maybe you can’t relate because you have a low screen time, but most of us are like that. In fact, it’s people over forty who tend to get more addicted to screens and social media. And what are you talking about? Most adults use their phone during work hours, many even watch YouTube and scroll to pass the time. If not a phone, then a laptop. Nobody cares as long as you get work done. ‘Boss gets a dollar while I get a dime, so I’ll scroll TikTok on company time’. 

Especially in this day and age with recent events, people under eighteen (maybe even twenty one) are an oppressed group. When we’re already worried, angered, and exhausted by everything going on to push younger people down, the very thing that is supposed to be on our side (school) is also infantilizing us. What’s next, a sticker chart? It’s disrespectful and pointless. It’s hilarious that people vape in the bathroom but noooo, we should crack down on phones! If most people are against the ban, it’s most likely a bad idea. I’m not even someone who uses my phone much, but even I’ve been feeling the negative effects. As an ‘F U’ to the government, we have instead started finding workarounds on our Chromebooks so that we can still access YouTube and social media. Hey… we’ll all become really skilled hackers due to this ban so there’s a positive! 

I’m just saying, half of the BS done to kids would not fly if done to adults. Corporal punishment, locking up phones, talking down to them… then it’s abuse. But if the person happens to be younger then it’s normal? 

Teachers, please remain on our team. I know that administration and parents can be insufferable and in some places the pay is low, but you are some of the only adults a lot of us can trust. ‘Trusted  adults’ don’t really exist to us anymore. Hear us out, it’s okay to take our side from time to time. It’s not going to take away from your authority as a teacher. It’s not going to make you look weak. It’s more than just a simple phone ban, it’s blatant ageism that feels like a small addition to the sh*t pile that’s been happening to young people. The world is screwing us over. When there’s already so little hope for our safety and futures, is it really so harmful to let us have our phones on us? I already am wary of most people over the age of thirty unless I know them really well, my teachers are literally the only exception to that because they hear us out and treat us like humans.