Beyond Bans-The Future of Learning

“Wait, no phones?!”

From my first day of school, I was clearly informed of the phone policy. Written in bold letters in a

school-wide email, it stated, “No phones, periods 1–8; keep in backpacks or lockers at all times.” Yet,

underneath, it also said, “All students are required to bring a computer to campus.”

This was pure confusion. Computers and phones are functionally the same: everything you can do on the

tiny screen of a phone you can do on the slightly larger screen of a computer. I understand my school’s

fear: social media is a force that engulfs us within a self-hatred trap of perpetual lies. But I can just as

easily access Instagram, Snapchat, and other platforms on a laptop. Now, should the school prohibit

computers, too? Simply put, that would be traveling backwards in educational time.

Many don’t realize how much technology and internet tools can benefit students. Once, my history

teacher was explaining the Punic Wars, and I simply could not grasp the topic. All of the dates and

historical figures felt mixed together. However, thanks to websites like Khan Academy and EdPuzzle, I

adapted my learning to my needs, and suddenly the Punic Wars became a set of familiar concepts latched

neatly in my brain. And my test score the following week? 98%.

Phones are here, technology is here, AI is here. Depriving us from using our phones is not preparing us

for the future, or for today. Rather than shun phones, schools should implement them as tools, ones with

uses far beyond social media addiction. Through daily, productive use, schools can foster an advantageous

relationship with technology, a far better habit than the wasteful one we’re prone to.

We must not hide from phones; we must utilize them.