September here at ERHS means a new chance to learn, to try new clubs/sports, to make new friends, and to be inspired by new topics; but this year, it also means two new rules added to the student handbook: the cell phone and student ID policies.
The first rule is the no phone policy in classes. We students are not allowed to have our phones out on our desks, when we go to the bathrooms, or in the hallways during class periods. We can have access to our phones during our lunch period or when sitting at the red benches.
I think that this new phone rule is a good idea because it can help students actually focus in their classes and succeed in them as well. I feel at the end of the year, the percentage of the school’s average is going to be way higher than it was in previous years because of this new rule. This new rule is also a benefit for the teachers because they won’t need to stop in the middle of teaching the curriculum to tell a student to put their phone away.
One aspect I would change is that I think that we should be allowed to take out our phones in the hallways or in the bathrooms in case of an emergency. This way, parents can get in direct contact with us instead of having to go through the school. It would just be more efficient for the parents and the students to contact each other directly. I also think that if kids have their phones out, the teachers should give them at least a warning because sometimes the student might be texting their parents or someone about something urgent and important. But overall, I think that this new phone rule is very beneficial for the students here at ERHS.
Our second new rule is that we must wear our school issued IDs around our necks the whole day and most importantly when we are in the halls and using the bathrooms. This rule ensures safety comes first. By having these IDs, you know exactly who the student is and if they attend the school or not. I also think that this is a good way for new students and teachers in ERHS to get to know you. This year we have plenty of new teachers, so I think having these new IDs can help them memorize the students’ names and to be able to help them learn about their students. This is also a great way to make new friends with the new ERHS students that came this year. If a student recognizes that they have a new ERHS student in multiple of their classes by looking at their IDs, it can spark up a new conversation between them and create a long lasting friendship. So I think that the new phone and ID rule is overall very beneficial to our school and can help make us stronger. One way I would slightly change the rule if I could is that I think that once we are in our classrooms, we should be able to take them off and place them on our desks for the period and then put them back on when we have to go in the hallways to go to our next class.
Overall, both rules are understandable and a way to put students’ needs first (whether we like them or not!)
