Cell phones will be banned in New Hampshire schools under a new state law. Students won’t be able to use their phone, or most other electronic devices, from the first bell to the last, including during lunch.
Some schools in New Hampshire have already banned cell phones, while others are now working on a policy for the coming school year.
So, for August’s Big Question, we asked our younger listeners who will see cell phones banned in school next year: What's your relationship with your phone?
Here’s what some of you said.
Amelia, 15: Normally it stays in my bag. It stays closed, but I like to go on it during lunch and I just like to show my friends stuff. I listen to music if I need to. I think it's unnecessary to take it away during lunch and during passing periods because we're not distracted. And for the most part, I'm in all honors classes. There's not really an issue with the phones. And then there's a lot of kids, too, who sit alone at lunch, and they go on their phones because what else are they supposed to do, sit there and look at the ceiling? So, I don't know. I think it wasn't really abused.
Elise, 16: My relationship with my phone is that I have it around whenever. So I feel safe, so I can call my parents whenever I need. And if I want to listen to music, I listen to music [to] help me focus. And it just helps me during school to stay focused [and] make sure I feel safe and [can] show people things I want to show them. I want to have it. I want to be able to use it in an emergency… or if I get hurt, or in trouble, or need help. And I want to be able to contact people in whatever situation.
Stella, 16: My relationship with my phone is I really use it to keep in touch with my friends, keep [up to] date with my sport and everything like that. And I think my high school is going to do pretty fine with the phone [ban] because they already had a rule instructed on it. So, I think we'll be OK. And we only really use it at lunch and [during] study block. So, other than that, we're pretty locked in on school and academics.
Rainey, 16: My relationship with my phone is I like to use it a lot, especially when I'm at home or sometimes when I'm with my friends. It's fun to use, when I'm with them, but I think it won't affect me too much during school because I focus more on doing my work. And I just like to socialize with my friends at school. That would be hard for some kids who are attached to their phones all the time and never want to go off of it, because it'll just be like a different way of going throughout their day. And so they're going to have to adjust to that. And it'd be hard for them, I think, in the beginning, but I think they can do it.
