Williamsville East High School has recently joined other schools in New York State by enforcing a strict phone ban. However, this rule doesn’t just cover phones; any personal internet-enabled devices are included. That means laptops, iPads, and even AirPods are off-limits during the school day. These items are meant to be put away and locked away in students’ lockers before the morning announcements end and are only permitted to be taken out after the last bell, which rings at 2:46. While the rule aims to reduce distractions and improve focus, the response from students, as expected, has been overwhelmingly negative.
East Side News conducted a survey of 62 students to see how people feel about the ban. Only 6 students, roughly 10%, said they were happy with it and think it should stay. The other 90% vehemently opposed it. For most students, the ban isn’t just frustrating; it disrupts how they normally get work done, focus, and even relax during free periods.
Many students explained that they use music to concentrate or block out noise while doing their homework. Without AirPods, or any kind of Bluetooth, they say it’s harder to focus. Others mentioned that school-issued Chromebooks aren’t as convenient or efficient as their personal devices. There are hundreds of students using Chromebooks throughout the day, and as a result, the devices often lag dramatically. Websites that are school approved and that are used for schoolwork are often mistakenly blocked by the administration. This can be extremely counterproductive, especially when considering the fact that students only have a set amount of free time to do their schoolwork before their next class starts. Simple things like checking the calendar, looking up a reference in a book, or finishing and submitting an assignment now take longer…