As students entered classrooms this semester, many were met with a new routine: placing cell phones into locked phone lockers before class begins as part of the school’s new cell phone policy aimed at reducing distractions and increasing student focus. Some students agree the phone lockers were needed; however, most agree they were a pointless addition, and a waste of school funds.
In January 2026, Harlem High School implemented a new phone policy. This policy gave every classroom clear plastic lockers for students to put their phones in and lock their phones up. These lockers allowed students to have the keys, and be the only ones with accessibility to their phones. Students would still have access to their phones during the five minute passing period and during their lunch period.
Students who did not follow this rule, or were not truthful about not having a phone would face punishments. The school decided to go aggressive and strict on punishments as well. If students were caught lying or not using the lockers, they would be given a referral and sent to an in school suspension.
Many students agree that the lockers were an unnecessary addition, and took time out of their class time. While not everyone dislikes them, over 84% of students do not like the new phone lockers. Some students even feel that their trust with teachers is broken.
“I would definitely like it more if they removed them completely and I would feel happy that they are listening to us but I feel like that trust is already broken like I feel like they don’t respect me and my property,” said Ava Aurand (12).
Many students like Aurand have developed a trust and bond with their teachers over time, yet feel as though that trust has been broken. Students like having a connection with teachers, yet with this new rule being implemented, it is easier for them to see teachers as mean or strict.
While other students did not care as much about locking up their phone, they still felt it to be an unnecessary step to lock up their phones. “It does not bother me too much but it bothers me a little bit and I think it is unnecessary to have the phone lockers,” Daniel Oviedo Alejandro (9) said.
Some students have strong opinions on the phone lockers, yet many people seem to all agree that it is all dependent on the student. Students are each different in their own ways, some will listen to the rule and follow it, while others will refuse to listen.
“I think the new phone policy definitely helps cut down on distractions, especially for younger students who might struggle more with focusing. At the same time I don’t think locking phones away automatically improves grades, at the end of the day your grades really come down to your mindset, discipline, and how much effect each student puts into their work,” said Connor Rothenberger (11).
Many agree with Rothenberger that it is all dependent on how much effort a student puts into their work. “I think it would be a better way to approach it if they let you have it when you are done with your work and we still have that mutual respect, and it’s not just honing down some hard rule for good students. I think it would be better to reward students too,” said Aurand. Both students agree that phones should be dependent on if students choose to learn or not.
While teachers also agree that these phone lockers are due to how students behaved, teachers also seem to believe that it is not as bad as students make it out to be.
“This is a direct result of students not being able to control themselves first semester,” Jeffrey Lawson (Science Teacher) said, “I don’t think it’s too strict, it’s just that during instructional time they don’t have access to them,” said Lawson.
Many teachers are even seeing changes being made already that students do not see themselves. “It is still early in the semester so I haven’t seen what the ultimate effect will be in the long run but I can say within the classroom there is more work getting done,” said Lawson. While Aurand believes, “I find it to be pretty useless I think it doesn’t really do much and it is kind of just a waste of time”
Even though some changes are being seen, many students still believe removing it takes away their ability to focus at times. “It removed the temptation but also removed the ability to focus at some points,” Oviedo Alejandro said, “My grades have improved a bit because I haven’t been as distracted but sometimes I wish I had my phone to listen to music to concentrate,”
Regardless of what students or families may believe, it seems that all staff agree, “It was a change that had to happen. Period,” said Lawson. Though there are ups and downs for these phone lockers between students and staff, it seems as though one thing is clear. This new phone locker policy is not ending anytime soon.
