When students returned across the Millard Public School District, there was a new cell phone policy put in place. The policy is put in place because students were on their phones too much last year. 

The Millard district implicated this rule so that the students could focus more on learning and not be distracted by their phones during class. Every teacher  makes sure that students put their phone up in a pocket chart or box. There are some students that have a tough time leaving their phone and putting it up for a whole class period. The reasoning for the phone chart is students have a hard time not being on them and have the constant need to look at them and get them distracted.

 “I definitely think that it is unnecessary and I would rather have my cell phone with me in case I have to text my parents or anything like that,” sophomore Reece Straley said. “I think that it is not as distracting as teachers make it out to be.”

The Millard Board was planning last year to make all students put their phones up. COVID-19 interfered with the district’s plan and the policy was pushed off until now. As it became a constant issue with students being on their phones they would just put it in the office at the start of the day.

“I don’t think it makes a difference in my learning,” Sophomore Issac Mclhon said.”I think about it more when it’s not on me than when it is in my pocket. When I am supposed to get important notifications from my parents or family I can’t just quickly text them back instead I have to wait an hour and a half.”

Even though we have to put our phones up it will benefit students in the long term. It would benefit the students by finishing their work on time and getting better grades on tests.Last year was the highest fail rate for freshmen ever. Part of that was probably students feeling the need to check and go on their phones which leads them to not know what’s going on. Now with students putting their phones up in the charts they cant get distracted by their phones so it benefits the students and helps them learn better.

“I like that students are not distracted by texts, phone calls and social media notifications during class time,” Spanish teacher Amanda Gehrke said. “It makes a noticeable difference when kids are focused and I think in the long run, students will be more successful in the class if they use their time for classwork rather than checking/using their phone.”

Hopefully the phone policy benefits the students if they like it or if they don’t. If the teachers are liking it so far and see an increase in assignments turned in, better focus and grades. This will stay around for a while so we will eventually have to get used to not having our phones and adapt to it.