The 2024-25 school year brought a big change in the classroom due to an Indiana state law that went into effect July. The law required every school district to come up a policy concerning Wireless Communication Devices (WCD).
Spanish teacher Meagan Hearne has been teaching for 26 years, nine of them here. However, she began enforcing the new WCD Policy last year during a pilot program.
“I started this back in January, and I explained to them back in November and December and even sent something to the parents. It’s my responsibility as a teacher or an educator to provide an environment conducive to learning,” Hearne said, reflecting on last year. Hearne has had this policy in place longer than the law has been enacted. She, along with several other staff members, were at the forefront of the movement to make this rule an easier transition for the school. Maria Sanchez Cisneros, another Spanish teacher, was also part of the program.
“We experimented with it, and after we had these great results, we shared with the other teachers our phone caddy, how it works and the effect that it had on our classrooms,” Sanchez Cisneros said. “I originally enforced the policy because I received a lot of issues with my students prioritizing their cellphones over their schoolwork,” said Sanchez Cisneros, adding to why she enacted the WCD policy in the first place
The new policy is an old way to some teachers, but to others, the policy has just offered a backbone to a classroom plan. Math teacher Barrett Hartley, while new to the policy, is not opposed to it, and shared his opinion about the WCD policy.
“I would say that this year is the first. I would say I just didn’t have a plan in place, so having the parking garage I think helps me and helps students and it’s clear and it’s just like hey this is where they should go,” Hartley said. Due to the new legislation, he has officially enacted the plan in his own classroom.
“I wish I had a better plan last year, and just for the sake of the individuals sitting in the seat, but also for the sake of the environment as a whole… but I think also having a push from administration from my colleagues, knowing that a lot of my colleagues were on board as well,” Hartley said.
The new policy brings new changes, such as not only having a caddy for phones, but also the attitude towards learning and the environment as a whole. Overall, teachers have agreed that the new policy has affected their classrooms positively.
“It’s been really effective, it’s been a really positive experience,” Sanchez Cisneros said. “I knew that if I was able to eliminate that temptation from them, I knew that my kids would be able to perform at their best.”
Along with benefiting the students’ attention spans, ithas also made the teaching environment better according Hearne.
“It makes me, as a teacher, so much more pleasant, because I no longer have to be the cellphone police,” Hearne said. With fewer distractions on both the students and teachers’ parts, the hope is that classrooms are becoming a place of learning, not cell phones.
Locally, schools were affected at the start of the school year when Senate Bill 185 was passed on March 8, 2024.
The law itself states: “Requires each school corporation and charter school to: (1) adopt and implement a wireless communication device policy that governs student use of a wireless communication device; and (2) publish the policy on the school corporation’s or charter school’s website.” With the law having 83 yeas, and 7 nays, it was to be effective on July 1 2024 for the upcoming school year in all 92 counties in Indiana. The law itself was authored by two Senators of Indiana: Sen. Jeff Raatz and Sen. Stacey Donato. In a recently published article by Kellyn Harrison, Raatz spoke on the new law being passed.
“Cellular devices can be distracting for anyone, especially students learning fundamental skills in the classroom,” Raatz said. “Senate Bill 185 would ensure our students are paying attention to lessons being taught in the classroom instead of their phones.”
Raatz also spoke about how Senate Bill 185 could be beneficial to student interaction.
“This bill serves to get students who moved on from third grade and are in need of support back on track with their peers.”
After looking back at the statistics of the previous years, it’s not surprising that educators, parents, bystanders, and even students see a problem with cell phones being a distraction. According to a Pew Research Article, “72 percent of U.S. high school teachers say cell phone distraction is a major problem in the classroom.”
While cell phones are considered a distraction, they can also be seen as a downfall on students’ attention span, mental health, and willingness to work.
“About three in ten teachers say they help students with mental health challenges daily,” said a Pew News article.
The article also stated how “67 percent of teachers in schools with high levels of poverty say they have to address behavior issues on a daily basis.”
Along with the law’s introduction, it also mentions the exact definitions of technological devices. The law mentions cellular telephones, tablet computers, laptop computers, and gaming devices are all considered as wireless communication devices. The law also mentions how each individual school corporation and charter school shall adopt and implement a wireless communication device policy that prohibits a student using a wireless communication device during instructional time. It was also mentioned that the teacher can allow a student to use a wireless communication device for educational purposes during instructional time and to use a wireless communication device in the event of an emergency or to manage the student’s healthcare. The policy lastly mentioned that the school’s individual adopted policy should be published on its website.
According to Indiana Youth Institute, they believe that the law is to enhance education, not take away from it. “These legislative changes reflect a comprehensive effort to enhance educational standards, ensure student safety, and support diverse learning needs. As these laws come into effect, Indiana schools, parents, and students will need to adapt to the new requirements, with the ultimate goal of fostering a more conducive and inclusive learning environment.” Because of the new law, new statistics and changes are being released. It’s hard to know if the law has been beneficial or not this soon. But, students, staff, and faculty have opinions about the law already.
Locally, students have had mixed opinions about the WCD policy, some like it, others don’t. Freshman Jack Netser has some opinions on it.
“I think teachers are taking it a bit too far with cubbies or whatever,” Netser said. “I think we should be able to keep it on us.”
As students are opposed to the new policy, many students have learned to embrace it, even welcoming the change. Senior Nicole Edwards is open to the change. “I think there are more pros and cons. I mean, I’ve heard a lot of students say that it’s bad and they’ll argue about it,” Edwards said.
Senior Noah Marsh also reflects on the change.
“I don’t see an issue with it just because I’m not on my phone,” Marsh said.
He also comments on other students who have an issue with the new change.
“I think a lot of the kids are a little upset with it, but it will definitely be better for their grades and just focusing in class and not being distracted,” Marsh said.
The WCD policy is also a motivator to some.
“Now that it’s not there and now that I’m not on it, I’m doing a lot more of the in class work… so it’s kind of a motivator to get all your stuff done to get it,” senior Nicole Edwards said.
Freshmen, who may be new to the school, are usually not new to the ‘stricter’ rules. Freshman Lucas Burger reflects on his time in middle school, and his time here at North. “This is my first year at North so, I think I used my phone less in middle school because we weren’t allowed to use our phone at all. But I haven’t used my phone as much in class and I’ve been participating enough I’d say,” Burge said. Students have also observed changes in classes, other than just the phones being put away.
Nicole Edwards has noted the change.
“I feel like everyone is more active. I would hear students talking to each other more,” Edwards said. Along with Edwards, other students have noticed changes.
Burge has noticed his own attention in class has increased.
“I’m a lot less distracted and I’m paying attention in class more,” Burge said.
But others haven’t noticed the change as much. As some students say that their attention has increased, others don’t see a difference.
“I could probably get the same grades with or without the policy,” freshman Jack Nester said.
Marsh says he hasn’t noticed a change with himself.
“It’s kind of just stayed the same because I’ve never really been on my phone during classes anyway,” Marsh said.
Either way, students have come up with many reasons to agree or disagree with the WCD policy. As some like it and welcome the change, others believe that it is overprotective and has no use.
“I can imagine it’s really hard for kids to give up something that is like very personal to them, but I just want them to know that this cell phone policy is to help them, not to hurt them,” Sanchez Cisneros said. “Just have faith in us, have trust in us, know that we’re doing this because we really do want what’s best for the students.”
