GROTON, CONN. – Fitch High School’s new cell phone policy has added stricter new guidelines and penalties,  which some students find unreasonable and unjust.

According to the new policy, students can no longer be on their phones during passing time or even have them anywhere but their backpacks during class time.   Last year, students could be on their phones during passing time and in the cafeteria, but now the devices are only permitted in the cafeteria. Teachers have been encouraged not to override this rule, although some teachers may allow backpacks near students. Principal Matthew Brown has reminded students daily during the morning announcements that “phones are to remain in your backpack, off or on silent mode, and not on you.” 

“I think it’s okay, but it’s only effective when teachers enforce it,” said Katelynn Tedeschi, a science teacher.  “Otherwise, students think that we are jerks for doing our job.” 

While many teachers approve of the policy, the majority of students feel differently.

“I think [the policy] is bad,  because people are not on their phones a lot of the time during the school day,” said Mason Negron-Llanos, a freshman. “But I do understand that some students are too distracted by them, especially if they have their phones on their desks in class.

Last year, Fitch banned cell phones in the classroom, although students were allowed to have them in their pockets during class and during passing time, unlike the current policy’s rules.

In recent weeks, similar policies have also been issued regarding headphones, tablets, and smartwatches.