Technology has become an integral part of today’s society, performing both basic and complex tasks. One of the most common pieces of personal technology is the cell phone. Today, most children receive their first phone by the age of 12, meaning phones have made their way into the classroom. To address growing concerns regarding the decline in academic outcomes and student mental health, Oklahoma lawmakers passed Senate Bill 139, which bans all personal devices in Oklahoma public schools from the first bell of the day to the last.
Edmond Public Schools responded to this law with its newest policy, the Power of Presence. This policy requires students to stay off their personal devices from bell-to-bell. Students who are seen with their phones or other personal devices must turn them in to the office for the day, and the consequences for not following this policy grow in severity with each infraction.
At Edmond Memorial High School, this policy is in full effect. Freshman Academy Principal Carrie Higdon has noticed a significant difference in students’ social interactions. Without screens and earbuds separating them, students are interacting with each other more, creating new bonds.
“I am so proud of our students,” Higdon said. “They have done an amazing job following the guidelines and expectations. I have noticed students visiting more with each other in the halls and at lunch. When walking the halls, I can see their faces and not see them looking at screens. It has been great even to see kids playing games at lunch and conversing with each other.”
Similarly, sophomore Principal Shastin Willman has noticed a change in the main building, with more students studying, reading, and asking friends for help. Students are finding more ways to entertain themselves and interact with fellow students and teachers.
“Without phones in hand, students are talking to each other more,” Willman said. “Real conversations are happening in the hallways and cafeteria. It’s not uncommon now to see groups of students playing board or card games, chatting with friends, or just being more aware of what’s going on around them. There’s been a clear increase in people saying “hello” and other friendly greetings to each other . . . It’s helping build that sense of community and belonging we’re always aiming for.”
Alongside the social skills and relationships being built at EMHS, there has also been a change in the classroom environment, a fact noted by AP English teacher Regan Killackey.
“The cell phone ban is assisting with interpersonal communication across the state, along with others,” Killackey said. “I am predicting progress and growth throughout all programs at Memorial. In short, it’s fantastic. The kids, specifically the junior class, are locked in.”
Freshman health teacher Tammy Lee has observed her freshmen putting in a conscious effort in the classroom. Without the distractions technology presents, Lee’s students are arriving at class on time, ready to learn and complete their work.
“Although it is still early in the year, the phone ban has impacted Memorial in a positive way,” Lee said. “Far more students are completing their work in class and paying attention while being instructed. Before, it felt like students were rushing through things to be able to get back on their devices. Now, they are more attentive and spend more time focused on schoolwork. I have also seen fewer tardies, as students are not distracted in the hallways and losing track of time.”
While the Memorial faculty has had positive experiences with the personal device ban, students, who are most impacted by it, have a variety of opinions on the topic. Memorial senior Prateeksha Ghosh views the ban as both positive and negative, depending on the student’s personality and experiences at school.
“I think the phone ban will both negatively and positively affect students,” Ghosh said. “Those with social anxiety or other mental health concerns might have used their phone to protect themselves; for others, the phone might have proved a distraction, and banning it will increase collaboration and social interaction.”
Additionally, the phone ban has changed how students interact with the content they learn in class, including how they keep track of notes.
“Personally, as an AP student, the phone ban has hindered a lot of College Board-related tasks I might want to do and also comes in the way of learning as a whole, as I can’t take pictures of the notes on the board, labs, or other assignment-related tasks,” Ghosh said.
Although the new statewide phone ban may have some negative repercussions for students, most seem to agree that it has benefited the students of Memorial overall, ensuring that they bond and share genuine moments of connectedness–moments that a phone cannot replicate. While it is still early in the school year, time will tell how powerful the Power of Presence will truly be.
Contact Rex Marin at [email protected]
