De Pere High School has changed its phone policy with the intent of less drama and more focused students in the classroom. Now, students are told to lock away their phones and other wireless communication devices during all instructional periods.
According to the 14 students interviewed, all teachers have followed through with the demands of the policy and have been collecting phones as soon as the bell rings — either by phone cubbies, boxes or locking them away in a mini safe.
However, two weeks into the new phone policy, students are already trying to weave their way around it by keeping their phone in their pocket and not willingly putting it up.
When asked if the consistency of the phone policy will decrease, junior Max Barnard replied, “Oh, of course, some people already don’t, so I feel like it’s going to be gone hopefully by the end of the semester.”
Some students, like freshman Jackson Barnard, Max’s brother, speculate that the phone policy will fade with time. He theorized, “I think it will start with one teacher not doing it and then some students will say, “This teacher doesn’t make us do it,” and it’s just going to spread through the whole school.”
The policy also outlaws phones from FLEX, Nest, and study hall periods which most students used as their free time during the day. All students interviewed believe that the phone policy would be more effective if phones were allowed in these periods.
Reid Brennan, a sophomore, voiced an agreed upon opinion when he said, “Mr. Thielhelm said that [study hall/flex] is instructional time, but it’s student-led ‘instructional time’ – being instructional to ourselves and not relying on the teachers teaching us. So it’s our job to stay on track, but then it’s also the students’ choice to go on their phone.”
Out of the 14 students interviewed about what they would change about the phone policy, 100 percent said they want to add phones back into study halls and FLEX hours.
“I thought that they were going to just have them take it away in core classes when teachers were giving directions and notes, but I didn’t realize it was going to be as strict as study hall and flex,” said DPHS junior Kadence Pansier.
To make the phone policy more effective, juniors Jurnee Bolds and Sophie Tatarian suggested that the policy should be selective.
“I feel like there should be certain rules about who gets their phone and who doesn’t,” Bolds said.
Tatarian added, “I think the phone policy should go for a grading system. Like if you have above a B or an A you should have your phone. But if you have lower than a B then your phone can be taken away.”
Even though this change is hard to adapt to, students themselves have noticed the benefits of putting their phone away in the classroom. Most admit that it is easier to get their work done, and see the policy helping other students as well.
“I think that people are a lot less distracted because they don’t have to worry about their phone being on them,” said junior Blake Empey. “They’re more focused on the teacher and the class rather than worrying about if they got a text message or something.”
Additionally, students feel more connected to their peers in the classroom when they do not have their phones.
“I feel like more people pay attention, and it’s easier in group work because the people that you’re sitting next to actually know what’s going on and they’re not on their phones,” freshman Caroline Meeuwsen added.
