Ipswich High School is among many high schools across Massachusetts that have implemented a phone and personal device ban to reclaim control over their classrooms. The ban was brought to the forefront by Becky Slawson, IHS English teacher and president of the Ipswich Educators’ Association, which stated it was supported by “56 out of 64” of the high school’s teachers. Slawson said, “There is a growing body of research to suggest that young people are experiencing very real harm from excessive cell phone usage.” However, is this phone ban still necessary within the IHS building?
With hopes that change would diminish students’ any growing mental health concerns, the phone ban was passed for the 2024-2025 school year. Students were asked to either give their phones to their first-period teacher and retrieve it at the end of the school day, or have their parents sign a form saying their student would leave their phones in their cars for the school day.
The implementation of the Ipswich High School phone ban received heavy pushback from the student population. One student started a petition urging students to sign in support of the ban’s reversal. The petition created last June cited many reasons in opposition to the phone ban including the need for phones during emergencies and the inadequacy of the school devices for modern learning.
After three months of settling into the new school routines, many students have changed their perspectives on the recent prohibition. Ipswich High School Junior Louis Harrington states, “The phone ban has been very effective because it allows students to fully engage during class time.” Senior Taryn Desmond agrees, explaining that she gets “so much more work done in R-block compared to past years.”
As the week described by Señora Killian as ‘una semana loca’ (in other words spirit week) approached, the school took a look at the phone policy and made adjustments to accommodate for the expected chaos.
The administration agreed that students would get their phones back for Spirit Week events. Desmond explained that the news made her happy. Senora Harvey added, “Students should get their phones during the events to have pictures and memories.”
Mr. Hughes, an Ipswich math teacher, and a strong supporter of the phone ban, reflected, “It’s difficult to allow them to have it back for part of the day and not for other parts,” but he continues that “it’s reasonable to have phones during the events for pictures.”
Though students were finally able to have their phones during the school day for the first time this year, many students didn’t even notice it. According to Ipswich High School Senior, Taryn Desmond, “Originally I was happy to have my phone back, but yesterday I didn’t touch it once. I’m glad I had it because it would have been a hassle, but I didn’t use it like I thought I would”.
Despite the initial resistance to having phones banned throughout the 2024-2025 school year, it is telling that once students were allowed to have their phones back during spirit week, few used them.
Looking forward into the future, as we have seen many students earn their phones back through senior privilege and spirit week, it may be time for IHS to reevaluate the phone ban. Seniors in good standing and students throughout spirit week have shown responsibility by not abusing their new freedoms. Perhaps the new maturity of students should make administration pivot towards a hybrid approach like Pingree School in South Hamilton. If the students and administrators can come to a compromise, we can create the harmony within the building that the admin claims we desperately need.
