The Cell Phone Compromise

This is Mrs. Kendall, a teacher in Red Hall that we talked to about her feelings on the new cell phone policy.

Olivia, Veronica, and Payton, students in 7th grade red hall that we talked to about their feelings on the new cell phone policy

          Have you noticed that new cell phone policy, well it is called the "off and away", or as we say "off and away or its taken away"; this applies for everyone. Yes, were talking to you sneaky little students who try to text without looking. It is a rule that not only takes your cell phone away, but gives the teacher the power to take away any other electronic devices they see. When asked, teachers told us that even though the students were unhappy with the new policy, they didn't think there was any need for a compromise. Ms. Kendall, a seventh grade teacher in Red Hall stated, "Students can't use the 'it's an emergency' excuse because if they have emergencies, they can go to the office and use the phone down there." She also thinks that the big problems with kids having their cell phones on in class is cheating on tests by texting their friends. She said as a compromise, she would be fine with kids texting during passing times and lunch as long as they weren't doing it during class. We also talked to Olivia B., Payton B., and Veronica M., seventh graders in Red Hall. Payton said, "It shouldn't matter if it is on as long as they aren't disrupting the class or texting." Olivia said, "I think it should be able to be on as long as we aren't texting anyone in school." Veronica stated, "It's not effecting the teachers teaching and it's not distracting anyone in class. Also this new policy is stupid unless we are taking a test. I think they should just collect the cell phones at the beginning of class if they are going to have a test and give them back when they are done with the test." Obviously, students and teachers aren't going to ever agree with each other on weather or not we can have our phones on or out. Through talking to the people of Stoller, though, we have found a compromise that seems to be fine with both the teachers and the students. When we asked two teachers if they thought it was fair that students couldn't text during passing times or lunch, they said they thought it was fair but since that doesn't effect their learning or others learning that they would be fine with it. I also think this would also be a fair compromise because this would encourage some students to text during passing times and lunch only and not during class. In the end, we are in an agreement, well, for the most part.
                                                                                -Taylor T.