When the Board of Education announced the mandatory district-wide cell phone policy in the summer of 2024, it sparked immediate online discussion about how this change would impact the upcoming school year. While most teachers and adults supported the policy, many students expressed hesitation. With the policy now in effect since the first day of school in September, how have students and teachers adjusted, and how do their perspectives differ?

There has been overwhelming support from the staff at Cherry Hill High School East for the new phone policy, as many teachers have linked the absence of phones in the classroom to increased student focus and attention.

“Last year, it was really challenging to teach students who weren’t engaged and were easily distracted by having their phones available,” said Mrs. Andrea Tierney, an art teacher at East.

In fact, some teachers had already taken steps to address the issue before the policy was implemented. Mrs. Susan McKee, a history teacher at East, for example, had introduced a phone caddy in her classroom prior to the policy change.

“Students who have access to their phone nearby will use it, so I try to prevent that opportunity for distraction. As a result, students were definitely more engaged,” said McKee.

While the policy has generally been well-received by teachers, there were initial concerns from instructors of classes like photography, art, and weightlifting, where phones play a critical role in the curriculum. In the early weeks of the school year, no exceptions to the policy were made, causing difficulty for teachers whose lessons required phone usage.

However, as the year progressed, administrators recognized these concerns and have begun working with teachers to create addendums that accommodate these specific needs.

“We’ve been able to collaborate with administration to discuss adjustments to the policy, particularly for classes like photography. Our curriculum was built around the use of cell phone cameras, and it wouldn’t make sense to completely cut that tool out,” explained Tierney, who also teaches photography.

As the student body adjusts to the new phone policy, most students have complied, acknowledging the administration’s rationale. However, many feel that the policy is overly strict and lacks flexibility.

“As a student, I will admit it helps me focus in class. But I think it’s a little too strict, especially since we can’t use our phones even when we go to the bathroom. That doesn’t make sense to me, especially if we get a message from a parent during class,” said Akiva Schostak (‘27).

The inability to communicate with parents during school hours has been a major concern for many students, particularly regarding safety.

“I think that until the school can guarantee my safety throughout the day, I should be able to have my phone in case of an emergency,” said Brielle Karsenty (‘27).

Other concerns about the policy’s strictness include students’ inability to use AirPods during independent work, difficulty submitting photos of assignments, and even checking the time. Despite these frustrations, most students agreed that the policy has improved their ability to concentrate in class.

One student, Jaiden Dalal (‘27), initially described the phone policy as “terrible,” but admitted that he has been able to focus more without his phone. However, he still expressed frustration with its overall strictness.

As the year progresses, the phone policy continues to evolve as both students and teachers adapt. While the initial concerns from both groups have been addressed to some extent, the debate over its strictness persists. Teachers appreciate the increased focus it brings, while students struggle with the loss of flexibility in their day-to-day routines.

The administration’s willingness to create addendums that allow for exceptions, particularly in classes where phones are essential, suggests that the policy will continue to be refined over time. Striking a balance between maintaining focus and allowing necessary access to phones may ultimately lead to a more harmonious learning environment for all.

Eden Boyd, a senior at Eastern Regional High School in Voorhees, NJ, gives her perspective on how the newly- instated cell phone policy is affecting her school. The cell phone policy has been enforced by a few teachers individually over the years, but it became a school-wide mandate this year. The policy at Eastern is similar to Cherry Hill High School East’s: heavy enforcement on no phones during class time or in the bathrooms. Some teachers, according to Boyd, allow their students to use their phones when the teacher is finished teaching, while others make students wait until the bell rings to dismiss the class. Also similar to East, at Eastern the students have to put their cell phones away right when class starts, and if a teacher finds them using one, it’s a write up.

“This year is definitely different from my last three years at Eastern, but not by that much. If anything, it makes me play more games on my iPad,” said Boyd. 

Every student at Eastern Regional High School is issued an iPad to use for school work, in class or at home, similar to East’s chromebooks. 

Boyd believes administrators at Eastern want students to be more focused on class work, have better face-to-face relationships with their peers, and to get rid of distractions. 

“Other kids have mixed feelings about the cell phone policy. Some enjoy it because it allows them to pay more attention to class, while others hate it. It just depends on who you ask.”

Personally, although Boyd thinks the cell phone policy is a bit annoying and a big change, she believes it will overall positively affect the study body at Eastern. 

“It’s a good idea that needs a bit of tinkering. Maybe let us take our phone to the bathroom.”

We live in a world where our entire lives are spent on cell phones. They’ve become not just devices we casually use; they’ve become a major part of each one of us. We carry them everywhere with us, use them constantly, and rely on them to stay in touch with the world. But as our screen time increases, so does the psychological toll they can have on our brains.

Cherry Hill High School East recently implemented the Board of Education’s new cell phone policy, banning phones during learning periods, and according to psychology teacher Mrs. Sheri Orlando, it’s a needed change for students’ mental well-being.

“I think it was a really good decision,” Orlando said. “If everybody supports it, students don’t feel weird if they’re the only ones who aren’t on their phones…it’s kind of freeing.”

The goal of this new policy is simple: encourage students to focus and engage more in class without the distraction of using their cell phones. Orlando shared that multitasking, using cell phones in class while attempting to listen to the teacher, is counterproductive. 

“Multitasking isn’t really a thing. You can’t do two things at once. And there’s research that supports that it often makes people more anxious because you’re never fully engaged,” Orlando explained.

As a matter of fact, the psychological pressure of dealing with schoolwork while using a cell phone can be damaging during adolescense, a time where the brain’s frontal lobe, a part of the brain to help you make informed decisions, is still developing. Especially with teens, who are highly driven by emotions, the excessive phone usage only increases those emotional responses. The result? Stress and procrastination.

Social media, another aspect to phone addiction, creates a false illusion of perfection.

 “Social media gives a false sense of reality,” Orlando said. “People put out the best version of their lives… and then others think their own lives are lacking by comparison.” 

This image of a perfect reality can damage one’s self-esteem, or make them feel like they are missing out on what may be portrayed as a stereotypical experience. 

But East’s phone ban may offer a solution to the phone problem.

 “No phones during class means you’re present and engaged,” Orlando said. “Maybe you’re feeling a little happier because you don’t have to spend as many hours studying on [what you missed] in class.”

This addiction to screens, phones in particular, is associated with dopamine, the neurotransmitter relating to reward, and it’s released every time we use our phones. This creates a cycle of addiction where we need more screen time in order to get the same dopamine hit. It almost becomes a mental addiction; hard to break, especially when one may not have the ability to control their screen habits.

In the classroom, this could mean the difference between academic success and stress-related burnout. The new phone policy may not be the most popular decision among students, but it’s one that may help in the step toward a better mental health for them. 

Interacting with one another rather than hiding behind a screen could not only benefit our mental health, but go back to what once was prior to any phone addiction.

Because as Orlando puts it, “We are not made to be isolated behind a screen. We are designed to interact with each other.” 

And that is what this policy will help us to do.