Starting this year, Allen ISD implemented a “no phone” policy as a result of House Bill 1481 in Texas. With this policy, every classroom in the district is required to have a drop zone, where students can place their backpacks during class. However, the drop zone itself is not mandated by state law. Instead, the drop zone policy is a way to get students away from their phones, rather than using the Yondr Pouch method like Richardson ISD and Dallas ISD.
With Yondr, students place their phones in their pouches and tap the bag to a locking station, which seals the pouch for the school day. At the end of the day, students go to the locking stations again and unlock their pouches, according to Seattle Times.
The drop zone method is a much more affordable option for Allen as it only requires a sign reading “Drop Zone” in each classroom, rather than thousands of pouches. Not only is it more affordable, but it is also less time-consuming. Schools with a Yondr pouch system have students wait until the end of the day to get their pouch unlocked. Consequently, students must wait in line to get their phones instead of heading home after the bell rings.
However, drop zones are still not the right solution for students. Though the drop zones are a better option compared to the Yondr pouch, they still don’t prevent students from taking their phones out of their backpacks and putting them in their pockets to use in class. The drop zones seem to be more of an inconvenience than anything. If a student wants to take out their phone, it’s that student’s responsibility and
their risk.
Moreover, a student not having their backpack by their own desk can be an inconvenience. Students who forget a supply have to go to their backpack to get it, which can be even more of a disruption during instruction. Some students might also find comfort in having their belongings with them. In case of an emergency, a student can easily grab their backpack and evacuate or use it as a shield for protection, depending on the situation.
For instance, some students have a Byrna Shield inside their backpack. The Byrna shield is a bulletproof insert students can put in their backpacks to protect themselves against gun violence that could occur inside the school. Since 2008, Texas has had 65 school shootings, according to CNN. It is justifiable for students to access what they believe is necessary to ensure their safety.
Some students also have very valuable items inside their backpacks, and with their belongings in a different location, it can be easy for someone to steal those items. The student may not even realize it, since all the backpacks are left in the drop zone and are unlikely to be monitored closely. The best method to get students away from their phones is responsibility.
Ultimately, the law should be struck down, but until then, districts should allow students to keep their phones to themselves and discipline those who are using their phones rather than setting up drop zones to micromanage them. High schoolers are young adults, and some are even legal adults. Students should be allowed to manage their personal space and determine right from wrong. If they want to risk it and use their phone, that’s their lesson to learn.
