By Ellie Spinosa

A&E Editor

    In June of 2024, Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools released a policy banning student cellphone use during the school day. This school year, R.J. Reynolds High School has begun implementing the policy more heavily. Almost all teachers now require students to place their cellphones in phone pockets upon classroom entry. While this is not new to some students, it is a major change for many.

    “This year we started at the beginning to try and set the [phone] expectation early,” RJR Principal Mr. Pressley said. “Some teachers had [phone pockets], but we purchased 60 more for teachers who wanted them so we could have a more consistent phone policy across the school.”

    Besides enforcing a district restriction, the policy aims to improve students’ focus and participation in class. 

    “It’s a little annoying sometimes, but it’s not that bad,” sophomore Nolan Erharet said. “It’s kind of neutral because I wasn’t on my phone really during class anyways.”

    While some students don’t have their phones in mind during their classes, others like to have access to them and do not like this new policy very much. Students might also need their phones in case of emergencies or a school threat of danger.

    “I don’t really like it; I feel like I should just be able to keep my phone in my pocket,” freshman Rhodes Windham said. 

    But even those who like to have their phone on them for various reasons also admit that not having it will help them focus better in the classroom. The option to check your phone and zone out is taken away, making it easier to participate in the lesson.

    “I think that it is beneficial though because then I’m not tempted to use it and it be a distraction,” Windham said.

    Along with the students, teachers have their own opinions on this policy from their firsthand perspectives of how it has brought changes to the classroom.    

    “I don’t spend so much class time telling students to get off their phones, and students seem to be really focused on getting their work done,” RJR ASL teacher Ms. Falk said. 

    A lot of positive feedback on how efficient the policy has been has come from teachers.

    “I’m really fortunate that my students did not give me pushback,” Falk said. “They all seem to really go with it because I guess they’re also realizing that they don’t have the distractions of what’s going on on social media or with their friends and that they can focus on their work.”

    As the school year continues, the long-term impact of this new enforced policy on students’ learning environment at R.J. Reynolds will become clearer.