“OPP”; for the average high school student, this word means your opposition/enemy, but for this new era of high school students, this word could likely mean something entirely different. “OPP” might now stand for “Off Phones Permanently" to a student attending Meadville Area Senior High School after the new phone policy was put into place. Before the 2025-2026 school year, the Crawford Central School Board were having talks of a new phone policy to say “bye bye” to phones in school. 

According to The Meadville Tribune, they believed that this policy would enhance student focus, limit social media use during school hours, and get rid of cyberbullying. So far, I believe they are right. Throughout the school, I’ve noticed many changes in the way people are applying themselves to their schoolwork, the way most drama has died down, and how most people, even myself, have had mental health improvements.

To be honest, I wasn’t quite sure at first, starting my senior year of school restricted from my phone that was once a freedom I heavily enjoyed. Being able to listen to my own music, taking pictures/ videos and creating memories, and even setting reminders that would pop up later instead of using paper and pencil that I would surely lose. But, as our school year has gotten off to a start, I soon realized that this policy isn’t that bad after all. This new rule really does benefit not just myself, but everyone who abides by it no matter how bad they think it is. 

Most students have also agreed that this policy has benefitted them. Addyson Kregel, a senior at MASH, said “I have full focus on my assignments instead of worrying about what's on my phone, which results in better grades,” while for others, “It has kept me from being untruthful in my academics,” said senior Evan Peterson. While our phones have kept us from focusing on things other than our school work, others have mentioned how it has improved their lives socially with others. “It has allowed me to actually communicate with people around me instead of constantly looking at a phone, which has made conversations a lot

easier," commented Gianna Araujo, a senior at Meadville. The limiting of our phones has pushed people to be more social with others instead of social media sucking us into its own world. I myself have noticed how much more social I have been with people I haven’t talked to until this year, which I don’t believe would have happened if I would be able to be on my phone all day. Araujo also mentioned how “it creates conversation and allows me to be more outgoing.” 

This hasn’t just been an improvement for the students, but for the staff, as well. Most of us students would expect the teachers to be head over heels for this policy, and we would be right. Mrs. Murray, a teacher in the school, stated “I have liked it for the most part,” along with Mr. Crites, another teacher, who said, “It made my life so much better.” While Crites had stated it has made his life easier, he also stated that it “keeps me from having to discipline my classes” and has helped regulate the interruptions within classes. 

Most teachers had found a way to incorporate phones with their lessons. For example, Murray said, “We used to use our phones for labs, and it has made that a challenge.” This major incorporation of using phones within lessons was a way to make kids more engaged with the materials being taught and gave the teachers a good way of incorporating phones into their curriculum to possibly make it more exciting. Unfortunately, now with this policy, that isn’t an option anymore for teachers and students, which may limit a teacher's ideas for a lesson and limit a student's ability to apply themselves fully to the lesson. In spite of this main factor, most teachers and students alike believe that this policy is an improvement to their academic and social lives. 

While most teachers enjoy this policy and only see good things coming in the future from this ban being pushed, I would say some would be surprised at how the students are also taking this mindful approach. Needless to say, this phone policy is working out just fine for people who really choose to embrace it and could be a positive way for others to navigate their lives without the constant use of technology.