From using phones on the bus ride in the morning, texting friends in the hallways, and using them during class time to scroll on Instagram, phones are a huge deal at Seminole high school (SHS), especially for the students.  As the first few days come to an end, so does the use of devices in class. Usually, students dread the syllabus review in the first few days of school,  however the new phone usage policy is definitely a part worth paying attention to. 

  A new Florida law was added targeting cellphone usage in and outside the classroom.  In May of 2025, Governor Ron DeSantis signed the bill adding new restrictions on phones, mainly for grades K-8.  Elementary and middle schools are completely prohibited from using devices during the day. If students don’t follow this, disciplinary actions are taken. Well, what about highschoolers? Luckily, high schools are allowed phones on campus, although not in class. However, during class time, most teachers have a phone holder which students put their phones in when they first walk into class. The intentions of the teachers are meant to be good though, hoping this will allow students to focus more during class and prohibit cheating during tests or assignments. Many classes have plenty of group work and projects, so the phone policy will help facilitate more engagement with other students during tasks like these. 

  The Florida government initially passed this bill for many reasons, such as students getting distracted during class time, safety concerns, and wanting to promote engagement within class time. Although, many students agree that there are pros and cons to this new law. IB Sophomore  Nancy Yan, explains how the new policy has affected her school day, “the policy hasn’t changed my day too much besides needing to put my phone in a holder for every class period, and them being stricter overall.” She also added some pros and cons about this policy, “A pro is that I can better focus in class but a con is that it might be hard for people to contact me during emergencies, and it can just make class harder for activities we need to do online.” On the other hand, others may say the phone procedures can reduce distractions and misinformation while a code red or yellow is happening.  Whether the new policy improves safety or makes it more difficult during emergencies is up for discussion amongst students, teachers, and parents. 

“I feel like the new phone policy has changed my school days so far as I’m not able to check my email or see if my parents have texted me throughout the day,” adds  Junior, Camryn Bernhardt. Students are having the same experience with not being able to text people in case of emergency or something is required. Usually, most teachers allow students to grab their phone in these circumstances. Camryn also shares how a plus of the new policy is the fact that now “there are less distractions in the classroom,” while a con is “not being able to listen to music to relax during school.” A lot of students find enjoyment in listening to music while doing individual assignments, mainly because it helps them focus. The phone policy also includes headphones, earbuds, and other devices being put away. 

In summary, the new phone policy to Seminole has definitely has its positives and drawbacks. But it is definitely an important addition to the school and will hopefully keep students engaged and encourage more participation in class as the year progresses!