ErinCramer

Returning to the halls this year, students are met not only with new classes, but with new rules. As Marian girls cross the foot of the door, they must relinquish their most prized possession: their phones.

Beginning early this calendar year, Nebraska State Senator Rita Sanders of Bellevue introduced a bill to ban phone usage in schools across Nebraska at the request of Governor Jim Pillen. Upon approval, the bill would be put into action prior to the 2025-2026 school year. While the senator conceded that phones are necessary for specialized individual needs, she argued that the general usage of cell phones was linked to lower test scores. During the Senator’s testimony, Sanders stated that by limiting distractions in classrooms, academic success can be prioritized and achieved. 

Governor Pillen also testified in support of the proposal. He argued that the initiative would address two main problems: the distraction caused by phones in class and the mental health problems coming with excessive phone use. Pillen argues that it remains a priority to allow educators to focus on teaching rather than policing students on phones.

Passed in May, the Nebraska State Legislature voted 48-1 to restrict students’ access to cellular devices in educational spaces. Students may access electronic communication devices upon approval from a school employee or when required per a student’s individualized plan. But Marian students beg the question: what purpose will it serve to take away phones and not iPads? 

Actually, regardless of the state law, Marian had experimented with implementing a tool for phone control. Principal Dr. Susie Sullivan explained that the process of putting phone caddies in classrooms had actually started before the bill had even been introduced. 

“Before the state law passed, we put 10 of those phone cases around the building to pilot them. We wanted to make sure they wouldn’t fall off the wall and break everyone’s phone,” Sullivan said. “I try not to dive all in on new things. Try them out, see what works, see what doesn’t work.” 

While Sullivan agreed that for the most part, phone caddies will solve the problem of constantly having immediate access to one’s phone, she also believes that it will help students after graduation and in the workforce. 

Sullivan said, “I think it will help with jobs for students. I think more and more you’re going to see employers banning it. I know a law firm that shuts off WiFi during March Madness because all the lawyers are watching basketball games and they’re supposed to be doing billable hours. So businesses do that, just like schools do.”

Whether it be in schools or the workforce, it appears that phone addiction has managed to grab hold of all ages alike. However, according to a 2022 National Institute of Health study, phone addiction is most prevalent in ages 18-29. This presents the issue of preparing students for adulthood. 

“I feel like half of Marian’s whole mantra is teaching us how to be adults,” junior Ella Watton said. “And now I feel like I’m back in kindergarten.”

 Part of becoming a high schooler includes the newfound responsibilities of putting one’s education first. Many Marian students, such as Watton, agree that a fair phone policy could rely on honesty and academic integrity. However, as much as students want to believe it, Marian students are just like most: sneaky teenagers. 

“You know what they say: strict parents make sneaky kids,” freshman Lauren Zugers said. She said that she wouldn’t be surprised if this phone policy resulted simply in more creative ways to access one’s phone in class. 

Many are definitely skeptical about the effectiveness of the phone caddies, but some are already feeling the positive effects of keeping one’s phone out of reach. 

“I actually really enjoy phone caddies and I think they are a great way for us to stay focused in class,” sophomore Teagan Menicucci said. “I feel more connected to my classmates because nobody is distracted by their phones.”

Similar to Marian students, traditional research paints a picture of both positives and negatives to having phones in educational spaces. The same study estimates 95% of college students bring smartphones to class, which is why technology has become a focal point of academic research. It draws the conclusion that while phones contain the ability to enrich a learning environment, they also possess the power to distract from key instruction. 

Some of the positives include constant access to communication in need of emergency, utilization of educational tools, an increase in collaboration, and a preparation for life after graduation. 

However, other researchers argue that the benefits of removing phones from classrooms far outweigh the potential drawbacks. Phones not only can distract students, but lead to risks of academic integrity and inappropriate usage, not to mention the damage done to a student’s mental health. A 2017 study from the Journal of Behavioral Addictions discovered a correlation between prolonged phone exposure and a reduced working memory, shorter attention spans and heightened anxiety.  

Being the first year for many schools to implement a formal plan for phone control, one can certainly expect adjustments to be made. The end goal for everyone is to make a student’s education as focus-oriented and individually successful as possible. However, one question still remains: how does one get there? Marian students will just have to wait and see.