High school students around the nation are sharing complaints over the progression of the rules regarding smartphones in schools. Over the past few years, the talk of a phone ban has surfaced in various conversations, although that chatter seems to be turning into a more strict reality with each coming school year.
Most, if not all, students at Hudson High School are familiar with the blue phone pouches that show up in more and more classrooms each year. Students have grown used to the habit of placing their devices in these pouches at the start of each class period and retrieving them once the instructional period is over, which is a widespread concept known as the bell to bell policy. Now, with heavier enforcement on a phone free school day, students and teachers alike are filled with anticipation and curiosity over what is going to happen implementing the ongoing phone ban at HHS.
The current routine that HHS students have grown accustomed to is the bell to bell policy. This policy ensures that smartphones are out of reach from students during formal instruction time. With this, students are free to use their phones during passing periods and anytime classes aren’t in session. This concept is, however, subject to change in January 2026.
Ohio law is planning to enforce the prohibition of smartphone usage during the entire instructional school day. This includes field trips, lunch periods, study halls and passing periods.
There have been a complex range of emotions from students and teachers regarding this policy. Senior Addie Maxwell expresses concerns over the upcoming New D trip to New York this winter, considering that Ohio’s policy is prohibiting the usage of smartphones during field trips as well.
Freshman Riley Metzler expresses this same concern for her H2BE trip this upcoming April. Senior Jillian Pallouchi expresses similar concerns especially for the underclassman, stating “I feel bad for the freshman because they have to deal with the phone ban for all four years of high school.” These are all valid and expected concerns considering students in this generation have grown up knowing that the comfort of reaching their families and friends is a text away. Taking this comfort away from students who don’t know any other norm will likely promote new worries and anxieties for students.
Even with these concerns, there surely isn’t a lack of evidence regarding the issues smartphones have caused inside and outside of the classroom. With the rise of technology has come the rise of social media, resulting in a shocking increase of anxiety disorders and depression among adolescents. Smartphones have also significantly damaged the attention spans of teenagers.
Experts explain that even when students aren’t on their devices, they are still thinking about them. Which results in them being a distraction even when they are out of reach of students. Smartphones have truly become an addiction that teenagers, adults and children are all struggling with. With that being said, it’s important that school districts treat this matter as what it is. Taking smartphones away from students cold turkey might cause more harm than good during initial periods. It will likely leave students with anxiety over being forced out of their comfort zone and cause issues between students and faculty.
So far, HHS has done a decent job at removing devices from classrooms in a gradual way. But with this new law to come it puts our school system to the test with how capable our students are in dealing with change. Luckily, head Principal Mr. Miller has made remarks leaning towards not stripping students of their phones completely. Senior Gatley Hoffman, a member of student Government, explains how she isn’t too worried about the rumors regarding the phone ban at hudson high school because, “at a recent student Government admin meeting, Mr. Miller shared that he knows a lot of students are worried about the phone ban so he is going to try and do what is in the students’ best interest.” Therefore, he is likely going to try and minimize the extent of how heavy device restrictions are at HHS.
The opinions of this matter are so divisive. Do the pros outweigh the cons? Is it really worth it? That’s all up to the individual to decide, but from what we know now, as of 2026 students can potentially expect a new normal regarding devices in the classroom.
