1st Place, Staff Editorial
2022-23, Division 2, News Writing
By Staff
The Tower
Grosse Pointe South HS
Grosse Pointe South announced to students and parents a policy regarding cell phone use during class hours. The policy was created in the 2019 school year and implemented in middle schools but was not enforced in high schools until 2022.
The policy puts into effect the “out of sight” rule, requiring students to either turn in their devices, or store them away during the entirety of the class period unless otherwise instructed by teachers. This policy has been in effect since Sept. 6 and follows in the footsteps of multiple other phone bans in different schools around the country.
According to the US Department of Education, 91 percent of schools in 2009 prohibited cell phone use during the school day, although that percentage has decreased to 66 percent by 2016. That raises the question, is South’s new policy regarding cell phones going to be beneficial for students in the long run? We at The Tower believe so. However, we also believe it is crucial that the decision as to whether or not phones should be used in classrooms should be entirely dependent on the class and teacher, not having to worry about facing backlash from opposing beliefs of students or administration.
According to a 2020 study conducted by the Asia- Pacific Skillsoft survey, 72 percent of students surveyed believe cellphone use in learning environments increases engagement and participation. We at The Tower believe that in some instances, technology often plays a crucial role in the enrichment of student education, teaching them to utilize it as a tool instead of being a distraction. With that being said, teachers who wish to promote cell phone use in class for educational purposes should be able to do so freely, without any guilt or apprehension caused by the looming policy.
Although in these occasional situations phone usage is helpful or even needed, it is important to mention our belief that most of the time it is unnecessary in
the classroom setting. According to a survey of college students conducted by the Education Resources Information Center, 92 percent of students surveyed use their devices to participate in non school-related activities such as texting during class. That being said, phone usage in schools entirely depends on the curriculum, course and teacher. If a teacher believes using cellphones in class is a distraction and disruption to the learning environment, then they should be able to respond in a manner that supports their beliefs. On the other hand, if a teacher feels mobile devices can improve student learning and are imperative for a lesson, they should be able to instruct as they see fit.
We at The Tower believe the cell phone policy only oversteps its limits if teachers feel pressure to eliminate phone use in their classrooms and disregard their
own instructional methods due to the new guidelines. Ultimately, leaving the decision in the hands of teachers is the most effective way of proceeding with the new policy, as teachers will ultimately make the best decision for their students and for the entirety of Grosse Pointe South.
NW-06. Staff Editorial
Staff editorials should represent the opinion of the staff, editors or editorial board on a timely news matter of concern to the school, community, state, nation or world. They may express appreciation, offer interpretation or attempt to deal with problems. Editorials are not to be bylined, signed or initialed, or in any way identified as being the opinion of the writer(s). Submit a PDF of the print page(s) on which the story was published or the URL to the story on an online news site.
JUDGING CRITERIA
- Represents the opinion of the staff or editorial board
- Topic relevant to interests and/or welfare of school or students
- Wins reader interest with a compelling lead
- Presents evidence/interpretation in logical sequence
- States issue; uses effective examples, facts, and comparisons to clarify
- Deals with specific issue: avoids preaching, rhetoric, and cliches
- Shows sufficient thought and research
- Sentences, paragraphs of varied length; written clearly, concisely and vividly
- Proper diction/grammar