After February break, SHS students will no longer be allowed to use personal or outside school devices and will be required to rely solely on school-issued Chromebooks. While the intention behind this rule may be to reduce distractions, banning personal devices ultimately causes more harm than good. It limits students’ personal freedom, weakens trust between students and the school, and hinders productivity. For many students, this policy creates unnecessary frustration and places avoidable obstacles in the way of academic success.
Personal devices–like MacBooks and iPad’s–are tools, not destructive forces. Many students rely on their own devices because they are faster, more reliable, and better suited to their learning needs. In contrast, school-issued computers often run slow, are prone to crashing, and restrict countless necessary websites, including ones used for legitimate academic purposes. When students are blocked from educational resources or waste valuable class time waiting for programs to load, learning suffers. Technology is meant to support education, not make it more difficult for students.
Supporters of the ban may argue that restricting personal devices reduces distractions and ensures all students are using technology responsibly. While it is true that laptops can be misused, banning all personal devices unfairly punishes responsible students for the actions of a few. Clear expectations, teacher monitoring, and consequences for misuse would address the problem without removing effective tools from every student. A ban avoids the real problem instead of solving it.
Additionally, this policy reflects a lack of trust in students and infringes on their personal freedoms. High school students are expected to prepare for college, careers, and adulthood–environments where self-discipline and responsible technology use are essential. Treating students as though they can not be trusted undermines their growth and accountability. If students choose to misuse technology or cheat, that is ultimately their responsibility. Relying on cheating only damages their own education and future, and it should be addressed through individual consequences rather than restrictive policies that impact everyone. The ban takes the responsibility off the students to control their learning and remain productive, but rather forces students to confine to few educational resources.
Technology should support learning, not slow it down or restrict it. While the goal of the new policy may be for fairness and reduction of distractions, its impact risks frustration, wastes time, and decreases academic productivity. Instead of banning personal devices altogether, the school should consider clearer guidelines for appropriate use that holds students accountable for misuse.
Allowing students to use the tools that work best for them promotes responsibility, trust, and academic success. SHS should reconsider this policy and work with students and teachers to create a balanced approach. By choosing guidance over restriction, the school can foster a learning environment that prepares students for real-world expectations rather than shielding them from them.