There have been rumors that a policy of not allowing phones during school hours at Cascade High School (CHS) since the beginning of the 2024-2025 school year. Phone use during school hours has been a very controversial topic, with mixed opinions from both staff and students. Conversations about the no-phone possibilities have been keeping students on their toes, as they have received little to no information.
Elias Fortney (11) expressed his firm thoughts on this new policy and explained his personal phone usage. “The new policy is not good; I use my phone so many times during the day for educational purposes. I think there should be limits on your phones like during class, unless you're doing things related to the class.”
Many students believe phones aren't an issue, since they do often use them for class, many know how to manage their phone usage through their school day. Teachers are torn with this new policy coming into place; these devices are an easy resource for students since they are often used for classroom activities or assignments, but they are also a big issue for teachers. Teachers often establish a set of rules for phones for their classroom, ranging from no phones at all or to only using them for classroom work.
Culinary and Living Skills teacher Carl Haberberger has mixed feelings about the no phone policy. “I use phones all the time in class, we take photos of the food we cook, it's a nice tool. The best way would be to teach students not to be on social media in class and use their phones for productivity. It is nice since students don't horseplay and it's nice between the silence, but they don't have any self-control, but hey neither do I.”
Given the division of opinions on campus, many have been left wondering how this policy came to be. As the new school year began, hundreds of schools around the country discussed technology’s potential for distraction within schools. Many schools had already established a no-phone policy after COVID; and, if they hadn't, they were preparing for it this year. These policies are becoming more widespread because the number of downsides phones bring isn't just within an academic setting.
Along with it being a distraction for academics, it's also a matter of social and behavioral downsides. With these discoveries of phones causing such negative effects on students, districts around the country decided having phones in an academic environment causes issues for students and teachers. Washington State Superintendent of Education (OSPI) office is producing language to modify phone usage in schools. This decision was suggested due to research done for two decades; this research is showing a rise in phone addiction in adolescents.
CHS was behind on adopting a strict policy regarding phone usage.
Principal James Swanson cites studies that were done on the usage of phones in adolescents as reasoning for the implementation in the Cascade School District.
“What they are finding out is that phones actually have rewired the brains of adolescents. An example is attention spans have gotten shorter over time, all of these pieces have impacts in learning that's why things are being addressed,” said Swanson.
With these studies in mind, CHS wants to provide an atmosphere where people can learn to the best of their abilities, along with receiving everything CHS has to offer. The process of this new policy is to consider research along with considering students and staff members.
A committee is being started where students and staff can give feedback on this policy. The feedback isn't going to change the actual policy since it will be starting in the fall, but it could possibly change how CHS implements this policy. If students are interested in this committee, it is still an open opportunity. Members are welcome to join; students can contact Swanson via email or through the office front desk.
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