By Emily Toy

As the new school year begins, the RAHS administration has implemented a school-wide policy requiring students to check their phones at the door. It marks a significant change from past years, when phone use during class time was left to each teacher's discretion.

Changes were Made.

The change has generated a variety of reactions from teachers and students, with some praising the benefits and others questioning its necessity.

For some teachers, however, the policy isn't new. Math teacher Brenda Bestor, for example, has enforced a strict “no phone” rule for several years.

“The phone policy I started was around three years ago in the middle of April,” said Bestor. “It was a bit of a shock for the students, but I decided the phones were too much of a distraction for them and for me.”

Many teachers in the math department had already adopted Bestor’s method long before the administration mandated the policy school-wide this year. Now, teachers in other departments are adjusting to the new rule as well.

“Last year I was not consistent with asking students to put their phones away, but this new policy made me more confident to require students to put their cellphones in the classroom holders,” said social studies teacher Phil Turner.

Turner, who was new to RAHS last year, believes faculty-wide unity is key to the policy's success. “The engagement and participation in my classes has been much stronger since I started having students put their phones away,” he added.

Student Opinion. 

Students have also expressed mixed feelings about the policy.

“I understand that the policy has its pros and cons, and there are some classes where phones aren't exactly needed,” said Ruby Baker ‘27.

Others, however, have raised concerns about safety and the anxiety of being disconnected during the school day.

“I have concerns about safety without phones in case of emergencies or a worst-case scenario,” said Evelyn Kosterman ‘27.

Regardless of how students may feel, the policy appears to be here to stay. Reedsburg Features will continue to report on the new cell phone policy as the year progresses to see how it impacts students and the learning environment.