by Katie Ng ’25

The English Department has implemented a new phone policy for the 2024-25 school year. Students are now expected to put their phones, earbuds, and other electronic devices in their bags, and put their bags in designated areas at the start of class after the teacher outlines what materials they need for the period. No other department at Sherwood has a uniform policy on phones during class instruction.

According to the policy for the English department, students who repeatedly use their phones during class will face consequences. The first time a student has their phone out during instruction, they will receive a verbal warning from the teacher. The second time they have their phone out during instruction, they will receive a lunch detention, and the teacher will enter the infraction into the Synergy Contact Log and email the student’s parents. If the student refuses to place their bag in the designated area of the classroom or they have their phone out during instruction for a third time, they will be referred to their grade-level administrator. If the student continues to not comply with the policy, the student may have to turn in their phone to the main office at the beginning of each school day for a week.

The actions of the English Department reflect a movement of restrictions on phones in schools across the United States with restrictions and policies varying across schools. Some schools only ban phones during instruction, but permit them in the hallways/at lunch. Other schools require students to silent their phones. A number of schools have even purchased locking pouches, and require students to place their phones in them at the start of each school day.

School districts are restricting phones in school because of concerns that phones are a distraction and disruption to the learning environment. According to the Washington Post, a study from 2022 shows that not having phones in the classroom can help students learn, and a Pew Research Center survey from 2023 shows 72 percent of high school teachers reported phones were distracting students. Furthermore, school districts are concerned about the mental health of students, as social media usage is linked to depression, anxiety, and eating disorders.