As students walk into each class this year, they are directed by teachers to the room’s “phone home,” a locked box in which they leave their phone during the period.
Lincoln’s cell phone policy states that if a student is seen using a phone during class hours, they must turn in the phone to the front office for the remainder of the day and will receive a Stage 1 referral. After a second violation, they must turn their phone in to the front office for a parent or guardian to pick up and will receive another Stage 1 referral. After three violations, the student will be given a Stage 2 referral. For five consecutive days, they must drop off their cell phone in the office each morning and pick it up after school.
In the event of an emergency, teachers are instructed to bring the phone boxes outside with them so that students can contact their parents.
The Lincoln Cell Phone Policy explains that the new policy was implemented to benefit students. KGW8 reported that the Portland Public Schools Policy Committee states, “Research indicates that cell phone use can impact adolescent mental health and well-being … [C]reating a policy on the use of personal smart devices is critical for students to achieve the outcomes we believe they are capable of.”
Senior Natalie Jolma believes the phone policy has an opposite impact than intended.
“It doesn’t teach us self control when [our phones are] just locked in a box. The second we get home or it’s passing period, everyone is locked to their phones,” said Jolma.
The use of phones in class is not a new phenomenon. According to a study conducted by Education Week, over 97% of students reported using their phones during school hours. The study further found that each student spends a median of 43 minutes on their phones at school, which amounts to half of a class period at Lincoln.
Maureen Kenny, an IB Biology teacher at Lincoln, has found that the phone policy solves this problem.
“It’s very refreshing not to have to see those devices out while we’re doing class,” she said.
Even though Jolma has found that the policy is causing students to be more attached to their phones outside of class hours, she has noticed the impact of not having her phone during class.
“Multiple times, I’ve reached for my phone and it hasn’t been there,” she said. “[These are] times the box has definitely prevented me from going on my phone.”
In freshman Raleigh Rice’s experience, phones were not an issue at school before she came to Lincoln.
“At my old school, everybody understood that if you wanted to be treated with the responsibility to have your phone, then you would be responsible enough to have your phone in the first place,” Rice said.
Rice also believes that, while the policy is intended for students’ benefit, this is not the reality.
“I think in [the school’s] mind, they think they’re doing us a favor, but they don’t really realize how much of an upset it could be for the students,” she said.
While Jolma believes that the policy has helped her be more focused in class, she agrees that not having her phone can sometimes be inconvenient.
“Multiple times, I’ve wanted to set reminders on my phone, and I often [use] my phone to check when a date is or look something up,” Jolma said. “There have been times where it would actually be practical to have my phone [in class].”
While there are mixed opinions about the effectiveness of the new phone regulations, Kenny says the implementation process has been smooth.
“I have not [seen students struggling to comply], which is shocking to me,” Kenny said. “I think we all expected that we’d get a lot of opposition. We’re not … It’s been shockingly simple so far.”
