I believe we have all noticed a big change this school year. Phones have been an ongoing debate for a while, whether students should be allowed to have them or not is something we’ve all heard discussed at length. This year, that finally went into effect. No phones. I want to know, what do the students of Brewster think? How has this affected their academics? Could it have a positive or negative impact?
Two students from each grade were asked:
How do you feel about the cell phone policy?
How has it affected you?
Freshmen
Starting with Brewster’s freshman class of 2029, the first person that was interviewed was Tilaya Gardner, one of our varsity cheer athletes. She stated, “I feel like students can focus and pay attention more. I also feel like people are a lot happier and interactive.” On the other hand, moving forward, our second freshman, Sawyer Whitehead, shared, “I don’t like it, I think we should be able to use it during lunch and study hall.” Regarding the class of 2029, opinions are very split.
Sophomores
Next is our Brewster sophomore class of 2028, the first sophomore that was interviewed was Jayden Flores, one of our very own baseball players. He said, “I don’t like it because I can’t communicate with who I need to. And we have nothing to do when we are bored and have no work.” Similarly, our sophomore Kylie Goodlife, another athlete, stated, “It is good to focus, but little things like communicating with parents or coaches is hard.” Class of 2028 also holds very mixed opinions but only focused on some of the minor inconveniences.
Juniors
Next up is our Brewster junior class of 2027. The first junior interviewed was Kevin Francis, one of our varsity basketball players. He shared, “I don’t like it because I don’t know what class my friends are in and I feel disconnected.” Alternatively, our next junior, Chloe Zappoli, had a different option. She stated, “I believe that cellphone policy is positive because it gives us more room for interaction and less time for us looking at our screen.¨ Opinions stay split regarding the 2027 class.
Seniors
Lastly, our Brewster seniors, class of 2026. These seniors have seen all the ways our phone policies have been changed over the course of their four high school years. Our first senior, Kemarii Maragh, one of our varsity football players, expressed, “It is good because kids these days need social interaction with each other.¨ Our last interview was with Kayla Disla, who said, ¨I hate it because if there is an emergency I have no way of contacting my parents for help.” Overall, mostly every grade is very split on their opinion.
Teachers Speak Out!
As the new phone policy makes its way through the school, I think it is important to hear what our most beloved teachers think of this sudden change: Mr. Cunningham and Coach Castaldo, also known as our flag football coaches! They are both in favor of this ban. They believe a lot of pressure has been taken off students shoulders, allowing them to collaborate better amongst each other. Coach Castaldo jokingly stated, ¨Kids are finally learning to become human again.¨
