A new cell phone policy has been put in place this 2022 spring semester and there are a lot of opinions about it.

The new policy named “Away All Day” was implemented by the New Caney District and all classes must follow the policy. After the bell rings and as class begins all students must put phones and earbuds or headphones away in their backpacks. They can only be taken out at the end of 45 minutes of class if, the teacher permits them to do so.

Most of us students believe that this policy is not helpful at all. The policy was intact because most students were getting distracted by being on their phones and not doing their work, which then caused their grades to plummet. I believe if they wanted us to stay focused this is not the way to do it.

I believe earbuds or headphones shouldn’t be a part of the policy. The policy is supposed to help students become less distracted and focus on their work. But this excludes earbuds or headphones which doesn’t allow students to listen to music while doing work. But it’s a fact that music increases your focus. Music helps some of us students focus on our work rather than doing work in a silent classroom because we can lose our focus with any small sound we hear. Most teachers would think if a student were to listen to music during their lesson it will seem as if the student is not listening, but if a student decides to listen to music during their teacher’s lesson the music should be on low volume where it doesn’t prevent them from hearing the lesson.

With a new policy or not, some students will abuse it and some won’t, but I don’t think the kids who do follow the rules should be punished for the people who don’t care for the rules. I think the teachers should give the students who abuse the policy a warning about their phones, but once they do it again, they shouldn’t do anything and let the students suffer the consequences of their actions.