On December 13, 2023, the Flint Board of Education in Michigan approved a “No Cellphone Policy” in order to reduce distractions in the classroom and enhance safety. This policy goes so far as to ban cellphones from the entire campus of schools.

Various actions have been taken by schools country-wide to achieve a no-cellphone environment. Some schools are taking it so far as to provide “pouches” that students are required to place their phone into each morning, and do not receive them back until after school that day.

Parents and their students have reacted rather negatively to this enforcement. Various advocates against the policy argue that taking cellphones away is actually more harmful to students’ safety. Should students really have to rely on schoolwide administrators to contact their parents throughout the school day? Are we potentially removing a significant right from our students? Let’s take a look.

Banning cellphones is ultimately a safety hazard for our students. While it can be beneficial to a more troubled and misbehaved group of individuals, we as a society cannot risk punishing students who need the use of a cellphone throughout the day. Whether it is for medication, need of personal contact with a guardian, or need of sharing location with a guardian, students are entitled to their own private device. The concept of having to go through administration to reach a guardian for any sort of necessity throughout the school day is a concept that always has, and should continue to die off as students exit elementary school. It is time for us to view our high school students for what they really are: young adults.

This is an ongoing story as various states are potentially enforcing this ban as well. Stay tuned for further updates.