School has begun, and with the new school year new rules and regulations are being implemented into Eaton High School. The EHS that students once knew are changing and some believe those changes are for the worse, not the better. Teachers, on the other hand, have a different viewpoint on these changes.
Due to the enforcement of the Park It Phone Policy controversy has arisen among the teachers and students of EHS. Teachers’ viewpoint on this topic is mostly universal. They believe that this policy being enforced throughout the school is bettering the education world and particular situations for teachers. Students strongly disagree with the policy, leading them to argue the topic of parking phones, and teachers to bring more enforcement among the student body.
FACS teacher Alexis Cochran said, “The Park It Phone Policy I think allows kids to give their undivided attention, which is what you need in the workforce and what kids will need when they go to college.”
Teachers’ main argument why this policy is so effective is the discipline it brings to the classroom. It allows students to be more attentive and productive with their time in class. As well as limiting distractions among the student body. With this policy being an old policy the enforcement of it required teachers to become more adamant with the subject of phones. They have became more strict and don’t tolerate students being able to have their phones.
Fine Arts teacher Kendra Hixon said, “I really like it. I think it’s going to be more beneficial for us being more focused on each other, and our curriculum, and mental health wise it is going to be better for the school as a whole.
The main focus of the Park It Phone Policy for teachers is for students to be in the present so they can focus on their school work. Limiting their access to their phones is allowing the teachers to implement the policy they have wanted to enforce since the class of 2026 freshmen year. The Park It Phone Policy has been around since 2022 but the new rules regarding phones make some students believe that EHS is changing, and not in a positive way.
Liam Whalen (26) said, “I don’t think it’s fair, solely because phones are actually useful and they can also help people in certain ways. If you’re going through family problems or something personal in your life it’s beneficial to be able to keep it on you. I disagree with it 100%.
Some students believe there comes a certain time where treating students like children needs to come to an end. If teachers would like students to act like adults, then their own property shouldn’t be taken away from them just because some students in the school abuse the right of having a phone during school. At a certain point administration has to decide if they want to treat the student body like children or allow them to become independent young adults.
Addison Hodgson (26) said, “I think that we are becoming adults and they want to treat us like adults, so if they want us to start acting like adults, they should let us be responsible and have our phones. If there is a problem I feel like it should be our fault and our own consequence.”
Students believe that if their teachers are wanting them to act like adults they should have the right to keep their phones on them as most adults do in this school. If there is an assignment that needs to be done a student is going to get it done if they care about their grades. A phone sitting on a desk isn’t going to determine a pass or a fail and if it does that is that student’s responsibility. At the end of the day the right being taken away by teachers is just bringing more complaints to the teachers and not benefitting the student body. Teachers and administration need to realize this policy is taking away a right that students should have and is not benefitting them. The hypocrisy in the policy is something students acknowledge and strongly disagree with as a student body. The reasons for this policy don’t line up and students should be able to address the flaws in this policy with administration and teachers.
