With Duluth Public Schools adopting the Away for the Day policy this school year, students have had to navigate through the school day without their phones. Students are asked to leave their phones in their lockers or backpacks and are not allowed to use them even during their lunch period.  

Denfeld Journalism students were given the assignment in class to gather feedback from their fellow classmates about the new Away for the Day policy. This new guideline was adopted at the start of the current 2023-24 school year.

Many students were candid with their opinions. Some were willing to include their names, others were not. While we normally want to include names with comments, we allowed it as long as students provided constructive comments that were not pointing fingers at fellow students, staff, and administration.

For Cheri Monroe, the senior said the new policy has been frustrating for how she needs her phone to communicate with people to know her schedule for the day.   

 “It's really hard because I relied on people to take me from school and to school, and it's hard to communicate with people when I dont got my phone, especially when my mom could be gone for a few days and I don't know if I got to pick up my sister or not,” Monroe said. 

Jayden Martin, a senior in the journalism class said, "I think there is a lot less students attending school this year specifically seniors , it makes me feel disconnected from my friends not attending school here and it gives me anxiety that my family can't directly contact me." 

Another Denfeld senior stated that having her phone with her provides a sense of security, as well as a way to communicate with people in other classes whenever she may need.

"I recognize why having no phones in class is beneficial, but I think phones should be allowed at lunch and between bells to communicate with others," she said.

Other students seem to be annoyed by the new policy, due to the face in previous years they used their phones to help with school work. Simply sending emails or texting a parent is now unacceptable.

DHS senior Michael Rasch stated, “We are almost adults and a lot of us pay for are own phones, I  think its should be up to the teachers.” 

Uriah Bell, A Denfeld sophomore, has said she understands the importance of the policy but it is excessive.

 “I feel it's excessive to not have our phone at lunch and outside, teachers and staff should also allow it in those places,” Bell said.

One student had mixed emotions about it and she said it was good because it doesn't make her or the people around her distracted. The negative aspect is when one needs to get into contact with parents or someone it takes longer and sometimes the teachers won’t let them use their phone. 

Lots to think about

As seniors have seen plenty of changes during their high school years, including distance learning, social distancing at school, wearing masks, etc., one classmate had a variety of thoughts on the new policy.

One senior stated that, from experience, the policy has made it more difficult overall.

“Yes there can be the occasional distractions, but if you practice limiting yourself to things that can actually help you be productive, such as, listening to music, checking the time, connecting your phone to google classroom, setting up reminders on your calendar,” the DHS senior stated.

They added that it can be helpful to have personal technology, while understanding it has it's pros and cons.

 “Not everyone can use it responsibly but having rules such as no personal technology at all can be damaging and make it more difficult,” they said. “Then people will try to hide that they're on their technology and then it really becomes a distraction, amongst other problems. Personally setting reminders on my phone really helps (be)cause then I see it so often that I can't forget, or having music to listen to can help many people focus and not be lost in thought."