Unplugging a Tool for Success

The Maclay Administration Announces a Solution to the Cell Phone Question That Will Not Be Beneficial in the Long Run

Photo by Sarah Samaan/Maclay Andalusian

On Friday, Feb. 14, an email went out to upper school parents describing key changes planned for the 2025–2026 school year. One of these changes was an update to the upper school cell phone policy.

 “The Upper School will transition to a new cell phone free policy during the school day hours (mirroring the current policy in Middle School), allowing students to unplug, focus, socialize, and build community,” Head of Upper School Charles Beamer wrote.

This statement was only sent to parents, so most students didn’t know about it until another 2025-2026 preview email was sent out on Monday, March 24, to the parents and students.

“To support academic focus, stronger community connections, and meaningful interpersonal engagement, cell phones will not be permitted to be used during the school day, beginning the moment students arrive on campus,” Beamer wrote.

This email was the first time students had been informed about the new policy, and many were unhappy with this extreme development. The announcement was especially shocking because there had been no prior communication with the student body and no indication that students were involved in the decision-making process.

Although increased social interaction is an important goal, the complete ban on cell phones is not the right solution to this problem. Removing cell phones’ academic tools will only create more issues for upper school students who are preparing for college.

Notifications from messaging systems such as Outlook and GroupMe are examples of the academic tools currently available to students while on campus. The loss of easy access to these services will be a difficult adjustment for both students and teachers.

“I use GroupMe to talk to my competition team,” math teacher John Gussaroff said. “I’ve gotten really used to being able to reach out throughout the day.”

Phones also allow access to reminder and scheduling features. Especially with the school’s complex scheduling system, students may not have their schedule memorized right away. Phones allow students to quickly check their schedule between classes.

The school year can be a very hectic time, which can make it difficult for students to remember all their daily responsibilities. The notes and reminders on cell phones are not just for show. Dedicated students use these features to their advantage to ensure they are maximizing their time.

“I use my notes on my phone to write down to-do lists and schedules for the day,” sophomore Allie Wood said. “It’s going to be so hard to go to school without all of that.”

Students will have access to phones in college, but the question is whether they will be able to use them effectively as tools for both organization and communication. Implementing this policy will teach students that there are only two options: when they have their phones and when they don’t have their phones.  As a college preparatory school, Maclay should consider how to teach responsible cell phone usage. A complete ban on phones will make it more difficult to accomplish this goal.

“In the future, when we’re in college or have jobs, we’ll have our phones on us,” sophomore Lauren Conn said. “I don’t think the best way to teach your kids not to be on their phones is to just take them away.”

Proponents of taking phones away from students argue that phones inhibit the ability of students to improve communication skills and to focus on academic work. However, taking phones away isn’t going to suddenly make students more social.  They still have laptops and books, and less social students will retreat to these free time options. Phones can also promote connectivity between students, allowing them to find each other before or after school or for lunch.  As far as academics go, the “phone jails” in each classroom are a way to ensure students stay focused in class. The phone stays out of sight and out of mind.

“I use the phone pockets,” English teacher Lauren Fantle said. “It definitely helps students focus and not be so distracted.”

The phone jails are a great way to ensure students aren’t on their phones while learning; however, not every teacher uses them. Consistent enforcement of this policy could be a great way to increase academic focus while encouraging responsible cell phone usage. The pockets could also be enforced during times such as homeroom and B4, which would allow the increased social activity the school is looking for while still allowing students to use phones between classes to check schedules and reminders.

Before going to the extreme, the administration should thoughtfully consider all the factors and potential solutions. Putting a band-aid on the problem works for a while, but it’s not the best solution in the long run.