Smart phones. Many people have them, many people love them. Among that group are teenagers who are constantly glued to their devices. With the constant social media popularity it’s hard to get off popular apps like Tiktok, Instagram, Snapchat, etc. Having these applications and access to the web right at your fingertips seems amazing, but what happens when the constant obsessions follow teenagers in school?

As the new school year starts, many states are prohibiting cell phones in schools because of the distraction and the concerns rising “over their mental health” (The New York Times.) Talk of cellphone bans has been around for years, with similar concerns. In 2009 91% of public schools had prohibited cell phones, falling to 66% in 2016 and then rising again to 76% in 2021 (KFF.) This goes to show how much this debate has fluctuated within the past years to now.

Like most things, there are positives and negatives following the ban. Some of the positives include improved test scores (KFF), improved concentration on lessons and group work (The New York Times), etc. In contrast, some of the negatives and concerns involve not being able to be in contact with a parent, medical concerns (KFF), etc. These may make school more difficult to navigate.

Students also have a voice in this, not just administrators and teachers. Senior Vanessa Burgos from Roxbury High School has a very bright take on the situation when asked her opinion. “If you were to ask freshman-year me, I’d say it’s stupid, but now that I’ve grown and matured I think it’s good and I’m okay with it. I feel like I can actually get my work done instead of scrolling on TikTok and Instagram reels. It’s also helping me with my academics, so I think it was a good idea.” It’s nice to see a fresh thought and perspective that’s not so against the idea of no phones.

The debate is ongoing while more states continue to ponder the question of whether or not they should ban phones.