There is one thing we never forget when we leave the house: a phone. We put our phone in our bag or pocket so we can check the notifications we have received in the last five minutes, see if anyone has liked our Instagram story and repeat. Most people have iPhones, including myself, but I realized that I was prioritizing my phone over my education, and how much of a negative impact my phone was having in the classroom. During class, when we would have free time, I chose my phone over finishing my assignments to feel instant gratification. I understand why a phone ban was needed.
Conejo Valley Unified School District updated its phone policy to require that all smartphones be put away during instructional time. This decision is essential for students to lose the distractions in the classroom and engage with their peers, allowing them to absorb information and thrive in the future with education. Our phones have become the modern crutch of society to escape from the grim reality of life, but phones pose a greater risk to our well-being than reality ever will. Phone bans have been established statewide after school officials noticed the disruption smartphones can cause in the classroom.
Before the creation of the internet, people were forced to entertain themselves with more enriching subjects rather than TikTok “brainrot” videos and funny cat memes. A lack of intellectualism caused by social media is harmful to students’ learning. iPhones have become addictive, encouraging people to prioritize mind-numbing content over the importance of education. Without education, we would grow up without basic knowledge that stays with us for life. Banning phones in class now forces students to learn and think beyond surface-level information. This encourages outside-the-box thinking and provides stimulation for the mind.
Students need to think beyond the phone ban: as much as school can be stressful and sometimes unappealing, it is important for every one of us in the Conejo Valley School District to have an education for our society to flourish. We should not let phones get in the way of that.
Aside from phones distracting students from a proper education, they have a major impact on the mental health of students. It is in our nature as human beings to compare ourselves with others. But the truth is, people only post what they want to be perceived as. What makes social media so harmful is the comparison of others and what it does to your self-esteem. Without access to social media and my phone in class, I found myself more willing to learn and put effort into my classes. Even if the new phone policy wasn’t necessarily a choice or ideal for students, in the long run, it’ll benefit our education.
Administrative intervention was necessary to combat phone usage in the classroom and allow students to thrive in their education.