The Backstory Behind the Ban

I’m sure many have heard about the ban of laptops in the library during lunch, and many have complained about this new policy. But what is the other side of this story? We interviewed Mr. Blackwell for information relating to this, and the results were interesting.

For starters, Mr. Blackwell explained that everyone is sick of screens coming out of Covid. We need a break from staring at our laptops seven hours a day, five days a week, as we did back in Covid. The less we are on our screens nowadays, the better. Now, as we are back in person, it is obvious that we need to engage in more face-to-face conversations, especially to make up for lost time. Because lunch is our main social period, being glued to a screen takes away from the opportunity we have to make up for lost time and interact with our friends. Besides, who doesn’t like a good conversation with their friends?

Not only do we have to make up for lost time, Mr. Blackwell explained, but we must also strengthen our social skills. Talking to actual people improves our ability to communicate with others; this is, in fact, one of Lakeside’s competencies. Furthermore, social interactions relax our bodies and minds - leading to better grades and an overall better mood, something that is unlikely to be achieved by staring at computer screens.

Additionally, the library is not, and never was, a place to play video games or watch YouTube instead of interacting socially. “We act from a place of trust,” says Mr. Blackwell, assistant director of Lakeside Middle School. “Enforcement comes from students remembering what’s expected of them. So, if students don’t follow the school expectations, this is totally disregarding the trust the Lakeside community has put into them.”

Even so, Mr. Blackwell said that there are still several alternatives for laptop use during lunch. The BLL is a good option, because it’s a supervised, quiet space with puzzles. Also a good option is requesting a teacher’s permission for laptop use in their classroom during lunch. Study halls and free periods are also great times to do homework on the laptop, and guess what? Students can use laptops in the library during those periods, just not lunch.

Of course, what Mr. Blackwell wants us to do if we absolutely need to do homework at lunch is be intentional about it: ask a teacher for help or go to the BLL. According to Mr. Blackwell, students have to feel supported, and asking teachers for help or room to do work helps with that. This further helps with self-advocacy, a skill we Lakesiders promote.

In conclusion, although many find the new rule quite “annoying,” from Mr. Blackwell’s perspective, it’s actually thought through and meant for us Lakesiders’ benefit.