At the beginning of each school year, there are always grade level assemblies where the administrators give speeches about the importance of wearing your IDs. 

Accompanying this rule is the new policy on phones. In the past phones were allowed to be visible and used in the classroom for academic purposes when instructed by the teacher.

Now, phones are never to be visible under any circumstances in the classroom. They are only allowed during passing periods and during lunch. 

There is always a rejuvenation of the phone and ID policy at the beginning of the year; however, most of the students are acquainted with the fact that these rules gradually fade throughout the year.

I believe that this year will be no different. 

Although there might be a more intense approach in contrast to previous years, there is nothing stopping the students and staff from reverting back to the more relaxed rules that we are used to.

There are written consequences but without proper enforcement they are simply just empty threats. This means inevitably many of us will continue to ignore these policies. 

I have noticed that the policies are already becoming more relaxed compared to the first day. 

On the sixth day of school, I was barely stopped by Interim Principal Alex Fox when he asked where my ID was. I gestured to my lunchbox where my ID was resting in the side pocket, and I told him that my ID was in the lunchbox.

He did not stop me from entering the building, nor did he ask to see if I had an ID. None of the other staff members that are outside in the morning stopped me from entering the building either. 

Luckily, I was truly just a student trying to get to class who happened to forget to put their ID on.

Administrators acknowledge that these rules are not new; however, there are a few stark differences to the policies regarding phones and ID’s compared to prior years.

Contrary to previous years where students were the only ones who received consequences; the teachers now also face risks of disciplinary action themselves if they do not enforce these rules to their highest degree. 

The increase in rules regarding phones is not something that is unique to the district. Numerous schools across the nation have begun to employ new methods to control phone usage within schools.

Many schools began using pouches to lock up student’s phones for the entire school day. The pouch would come to school with the student, they would put the phone in the pouch, and the student would be able to access their phone at the end of the school day.

41 states reported there was an estimated total of $2.5 million spent on these pouches.

Ultimately our district chose not to implement this tactic for reducing phone usage.

Instead of the pouches our student body was told that we are trusted to handle ourselves in a way that would not warrant the use of phone pouches.

The efforts of the administration are well intentioned but will simply fail to stand the test of time.