It’s not a surprise that students across New York state are not exactly thrilled after the new cell phone ban that passed this September. The ban, which eliminates the usage of personal devices in school, such as cell phones, laptops, smartwatches, and iPads, was implemented with the intention that students become more focused in the classroom, and less fixated on their personal devices. For a number of THHS students, however, the ban is bringing back memories from another time: middle school. The Classic spoke to four students about how their middle school experience with cell phones impacted how they view the current ban.
Even before this year’s ban, schools across the state had the power to limit cell phone usage in any way they felt necessary, leading to certain middle schools having heavier restrictions than others.
Senior Ananna Ali attended a middle school in Queens with a cell phone ban in place. She said that just like at THHS, students were allowed to bring their phones to school, but were prohibited from using them in class, and if they did, they “could get into serious trouble.” She said that, as technology was still essential for class assignments, students could only use school-approved devices such as computers and iPads. “But phones were strictly off-limits,” she said…