Going back to school always brings changes: new teachers, new classmates, and in this case, new rules that are shaking up parents, students, and entire communities. From banning cell phones to radical changes in dress codes, to unexpected measures like removing mirrors from bathrooms, many schools in the United States are rewriting the rules in the name of safety and academic focus.
But these decisions, although well-intentioned, have left many wondering: do they really work? To what extent does restricting clothing or limiting the use of technology help students? Opinions are divided, and behind each new policy there are stories of acceptance, resistance, and debate. What do these changes mean within schools?
The fight against phones in the classroom.
The ban on cell phones in the classroom has been the most criticized measure in recent years. And the fact is that 72% of high school teachers consider that this device (as well as iPads, smart watches and a long etc…) constitutes a problem in the classroom, according to reports from the Pew Research Center.
High school teachers in the United States are adamant that these devices only interfere with the attention of the students, and that is why there have been schools that have reinforced the anti-mobile measures in a much more drastic way. However, not all centers have subscribed to this proposal. And there have also been many who have asked the chancellor of the public schools of New York, David Banks, to “remove” the phones (understood as banning them once and for all in educational centers). However, there are many parents who consider it necessary to maintain contact with their children in case of an emergency.
What measures have been imposed against mobile phones?
Depending on the school, some have chosen to ban cell phones from entering the school, others may require that they be kept in lockers, offices, or magnetic bags during classes (yes, the latter is real, small sealed bags that can only be opened at the end of the day and when the school day has finished). And, to our surprise, many schools are implementing this measure, as is the case of the community schools of Fort Wayne in Indiana. There are also schools where these bags are left in the care of school staff.
The consequences of cell phone addiction can have catastrophic consequences for our teenagers, from losing the ability to concentrate or losing that valuable time they have to interact with the environment and with their peers, in addition to the fact that, in many cases, they encourage TCAS, anxiety and self-esteem problems.
Therefore, it is better that phones, during school days, stay at home!
Dressing in black, hooded sweatshirts… and Crocs, all prohibited.
Many schools are also putting special emphasis on how children dress for school. That’s why the use of sandals, Crocs or foam clogs has been limited, as has been the case at Bessemer City High School in Alabama.
So, socks, hats, sunglasses, bubble shoes, headbands, caps, scarves, shorts, mid-rise T-shirts, tight shirts and skirts and jeans with holes above the knee are all banned.
This measure seeks to create a sense of community within each school and to allow students to be free from distractions and to concentrate well on their studies.
And what has happened in the bathrooms?
The traditional decoration of the bathrooms is clashing with modern distractions, and they have become meeting places where videos are made and recorded in front of the mirror. In contrast to this, many schools have chosen to remove mirrors from the bathrooms to avoid dozens of girls accumulating in the bathrooms
