Should ND Students Be Forced to Stay Off Their Phones At School?

A North Dakota Public School has decided to completely do away with student cellphone use during the day.

Stanley Public Schools recently announced that students will not be allowed to have their phones between the hours of 8:30 AM and 3:41 PM. The post states that students must leave their phones in their vehicles or powered off in their vehicles, citing that even the presence of a phone in a pocket is a distraction. And if students are caught with their phones in school, there are consequences.

Cellphones have definitely evolved since I was using T-9 in high school.

It has been almost 12 years since I graduated high school. And, while we had cell phones in 2010, that was a whole different ballgame. I remember we would get into trouble for texting. But now, people have a ton of social media options, games, and so many other app distractions. And all that stuff is, in fact, very distracting. But is it right that kids are being forced to give up their phones every day?

Is it fair to take kids' phone privileges away?

I am not a teacher and I am also not a parent. So, I probably have no right to speak on this topic. But I am going to anyway. I am not sure I agree with taking kids' phones away for the entire duration of a school day. Even adults with full-time jobs get breaks during the day where they can check their phones.

I am not saying that kids should be allowed to use their phones as they please in the classroom. But I think it is a tad unreasonable to make them be off their phones for all those hours, day-in and day-out. Especially because most adults would not stand for that type of rule in their own lives.

Do you think North Dakota schools should make students stay off their cell phones all day?