Junior Jessica Gicherman stands in line after school waiting to retrieve her cell phone taken from her the previous day. Forty-five minutes later she realized she would need to have a parent present in order to have her phone returned to her. Due to the misunderstanding, Jessica was left after school without a ride home, and without her cell phone.



As students returned to school this year, they were greeted not by Dr. Welker’s familiar “word of the day” but by a newly instilled school policy: Cell phones should not be on, visible, or in use between the hours of 7:00 a.m and 2:30 p.m. As students ignored the policy, Dr.Welker and the faculty collected phones and other electronic devices throughout the day.

“After the situation with cell phones got out of hand last year, the faculty made the decision that this year, the policy would be different,” Welker said. “Cell phone use in school serves as a disruption, a potential way of cheating, and is a safety concern.”

Students agree that cell phone use during class is a disruption but argue that not being able to use their phones in the morning and during lunch is unfair.

“Lunch is a time for students to be free and enjoy themselves and should be able to use their cell phones if they wish,” junior Jackie Sperling said. “When a student has a phone in their pocket, while walking around the school for example, administrators should not have the right to take it from you, especially if it’s not in use.”

While students fret and fume, the faculty and administration will continue to stick by the policy.

“I am both a parent and a teacher and I do not feel that cell phone use is necessary during the school day,” teacher Ellen Elias said. “Even in an emergency situation, a parent can reach their child by either calling or coming to the school.”