With the recent uproar of discontent about the new cell phone policy implemented within schools in California, I also believe that the new rule should be discontinued. On Sep. 23 2024, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 3216 into law. This bill prohibits students from using cell phones, where the specificity of the bill lies within the decision of each school.
One major problem that I foresee is not being able to call during emergencies when students’ phones are put away, either in cubbies or boxes. Many schools require students to go through the office or a designated staff member to contact parents. This can be a significant problem when the student is facing emergencies such as allergic reactions or specific medical problems that only the parent knows how to handle. Those extra minutes spent going through another party can determine can increase the danger of the incident
Another problem that arises is when students lose the ability to understand self-control from a young age. When the school forcefully limits the ability of students to use cell phones, students, especially younger ones, will not be able to understand the need to control themselves to not using a device. This can significantly disrupt their mentality of staying on task and the ability to stay productive at home or while they work, as they won’t have someone or something to control their phone usage.
Therefore, schools across California should remove this policy. Students should have the freedom to use their devices during school hours. Schools implementing this policy only hurt the students’ development as humans, and ironically, negatively impact their productivity.
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