Phone pouch prison

The hottest accessory at Montgomery Blair High School this fall isn’t a new iPhone; it’s the pouch keeping that phone locked up and out of reach, igniting frustration, FOMO, and plenty of concerns. Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) has executed a stricter system in which all phones have to be off and away during all instruction. Students are allowed to use their phones during passing periods, before and after school, and during lunch, but there is zero tolerance for them having their phones out during class. 

Phone pouch

Photo: A third floor classroom’s designated phone pouch.

A third floor classroom’s designated phone pouch. Photo courtesy of Kieran Whittaker.



How do the pouches work?

This year, Blair is really sticking to the zero tolerance attitude, because phone pouches have been implemented, a strategy used in the past by other schools in the county, like Rockville High School. If, after a warning, a student pulls out their phone again during class, teachers put the phone in a fabric pouch and lock it, but return the pouch to the student. Then, at the end of the day, the student has to go to one of the designated stations and get their pouch unlocked by a security guard. The guards have a separate tool for unlocking a pouch, so nobody else can unlock it. Blair purchased the pouches from a brand called Win Elements, each pouch costing around $30-40. If a student purposely damages the pouch to try to get their phone, they must repay the cost. There are some mixed reactions from students regarding this policy. “I was honestly really surprised when I heard about [the pouch policy]. I’m curious to see how it plays out and if it works, but I think that it will definitely be controversial.” junior Ellie Romney said. 

Blazers’ point of view

Blair’s new principal, Damon Monteleone, former principal of Richard Montgomery High School, says one of his many goals is to implement the phone pouch policy during his time at Blair. “Contrary to popular opinion or perception, the principal doesn't make edicts and decisions in isolation,” he says. “We have to work collaboratively with people, even if we really want to do something. This was an idea that I brought to the instructional leadership team…during our summer leadership week, and there was support and approval for moving forward.” While MCPS pitched the idea and recommended it to all public schools, it is not mandatory. In previous years, Rockville High School had this policy and saw substantial success.

Instead of the old solution for students being on their phones during instruction, which was the teachers taking the phone or security taking it for the whole day, these pouches allow students to keep their phones on them, while still restricting access. Some students, however, feel it’s a bit too restrictive. “I feel like it should be a student’s personal choice whether they have their phone or not, because it gives them responsibility, and if somebody else is making that for them then it doesn’t help them in the real world,” Blair student Joel Amare said. 

Steps and consequences taken

Despite what others may think, this policy seems to be working. Aaron Bernstein, Blair’s assistant principal and administrator, reported in an interview that only 13 students had been given a pouch three and a half weeks into the school year. With over 3,000 students and seven or eight classes a day, that’s an impressively low number. Bernstein explained the process and order of consequences for multiple pouches being issued to a student. After the first pouch is issued to a student, and they have their phone out again and need to get it pouched a second time, their teacher refers them to an administrator, and the administrator will pouch their phone. “So their first time with the administrator, we give them a pouch for the day, and for all of the next day,” Bernstein said. “And we're talking about giving them a contract and also having lunch detention.” These offences can lead to in-school suspension, meetings with parents, etc. “There would be an in-person conference with the well-being team for that student and their counselor to make sure they’re ok, because now we're talking about more of an addiction than just a disciplinary issue,” he continued. 

Psychology behind teen phone addiction

These addictions to cell phones actually have a more psychological reasoning behind them than you may think. According to Clearfork Academy, a youth mental health academy in Texas, “Teens are met with positive interactions, feedback, and instant messages, releasing the neurotransmitter dopamine—responsible for pleasure, reward processing, and habit forming. Research has found that excessive cell phone usage, specifically social media, can cause similar chemical responses in the brain that are caused by drug addiction.” Phones and social media create an addictive reward system for the young, extremely prone adolescent brain. 

For Julia Smrek, an AP Psychology teacher at Blair, phone pouches are nothing new. Smrek has had a pouch system in her classroom since before this year, where students have to put any personal devices like phones, headphones, etc., in a zip-up pouch, and they must keep that inside their desk. “They put all that stuff in the bags and they put them inside the desks, and then at some point during the class period, I give them a five-minute break so they can check their phones,” Smrek explained. When asked her opinions on the new MCPS phone policy, she said, “I think it's about time. I wholeheartedly agree with it.”

Concerns

Blair hosted its Back to School Night on Sep. 11. During this, a few parents had some understandable concerns about the pouches. What happens if there’s an emergency and my child needs to contact me, but their phone is locked in a pouch? What if I need to contact them? Well, in case of a real emergency, the pouches can be cut open. Also, there’s the landline phone in the main office that parents or guardians can call if they need to communicate with their child. Students are also worried about what they would do if an emergency occurred. “It doesn't allow people to reach their parents in case of emergency, and I don’t feel like it’s gonna do that much.” Sophomore Seneca Honzak commented. 

As the new policy settles in, its impact will extend for years to come. For students and teachers alike, the phone pouches are just the beginning of learning to balance focus and connection in an age where a phone has the power to wipe away any progress.