As students slowly emerge themselves into the 2024-2025 school year, a single yet major change has brought controversy to Etowah’s otherwise pleasant atmosphere: a new phone policy. Despite the rule’s good intentions, aggravation and annoyance surrounding it has begun to blanket the school. 

Contrary to previous years, students are now required to keep their phones where they cannot be seen during class time unless it is being used for educational purposes. New Cherokee County superintendent Dr. Mary Elizabeth Davis imposed this change, hoping to decrease distractions to better educate students; nevertheless, the approach has irritated many at Etowah and other high/middle schools lying within Cherokee County. Today’s society revolves around technology, and students nowadays, who cling onto tiny devices, have developed such a large dependency on them. Phones have seeped into every aspect of daily lives; by taking them away so suddenly, many must learn how to function during class without their most prized possession in hand.  

“Cell phones allow us to use and find resources on the internet to help us learn and do our work. They allow us to do more fun and interactive activities in class that can help us understand the material better. They are a valuable resource, and we should be able to use [the cell phone’s] advantage at school,” Eva Schwartz, sophomore, said.  

Much to students’ disliking, teachers have had to enforce their own rules to maintain the change Davis has put into place. While some teachers merely ask their class to keep their phone in their bag, some have gone so far as to make students place their phone in calculator holders hanging on the classroom wall to ensure no one is finding a way around the policy. This unfavorable technique, though a savior to teachers, is a nightmare for students. Taking that into consideration, stealing this small but ever so satisfying freedom away from Etowah is only intensifying the dread in-person education has inflicted. 

“Our new phone policies come off as fair, but they seem a little unnecessary. I think we should use our phones to the advantage of our learning, whether as a tool or aid,” Elina Paneru, junior, said.  

While monitoring cell phone usage comes with certain benefits for students such as a noticeable increase in academic performance, not all aspects seem to be beneficial to learners. Limited access to personal devices has proven to be exceedingly frustrating, leaving students to feel as though they are back in middle school instead of a more mature environment. Restricting phone usage is not only irritating and infuriating; though students still have access to their phones, they are harder to whip out at a moment’s notice, therefore limiting their ability to quickly call or text someone in a situation warranting said actions.  

“I think the phone rule is being taken too far,” Nick Ambery, freshman, said.  

Clearly, this school year is not looking to be one filled with freedom. Despite the newfound challenges facing Etowah and other surrounding high schools’ student population, there is still hope for a well-rounded term if everyone shifts their view to the sunny side.