Kent has started the year with a new phone policy called “Away for the Day.” Under this policy, phones are not allowed to be used between 8:30 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. The previous phone policy focused on banning phones during class time, but the new phone policy approach expands across the entire school day.
According to Mr. Shafer, the change came after discussions within the five-member faculty committee and with Mr. Hirschfeld, who collectively felt the old policy did not meet all of its intended goals. While it helped limit distractions during lessons, it did little to encourage students to interact more with one another outside of class. The hope is that without phones, conversations in places like the dining hall or during free periods will become more natural and frequent.
The transition has not been smooth for everyone. Many students have voiced concerns that the new policy makes it harder to know their schedules, especially when relying on phones to check daily updates. Other students have pointed out issues with Gmail, such as difficulties logging in on laptops or not being able to reply to emails right away.
Mr. Shafer has acknowledged these complaints but explained that it will take time for the community to adapt. He also emphasized that the administration is working on ways to make the change easier. One adjustment already in place is the addition of the calendar blocks on the TV screens all around campus. This allows students to quickly check which block they have without pulling out a phone. He also mentioned that he is not “fundamentally against” not being able to reply to email messages right away. He believes students and teachers should be somewhat reasonable with their expectations when it comes to replying to emails.
Although the complaints are real, Mr. Shafer encouraged patience and optimism. He shared that once everyone has had more time to live with the new policy, the benefits may become clearer. He is certain that if students actually give the new policy a chance, they might actually enjoy it.
