Phones are becoming more and more prevalent in our lives today. A study by Statista shows that the average human spends close to 3 hours and 20 minutes on their phones per day during 2018 versus just 1 hour and 20 minutes during 2012.

Phones have many proven benefits. Many people seek emergency help with their phone. Even when not saving lives, people use it to connect to others across the world and get access to information in an instant. And now, with phones, previously inconvenient tasks such as getting a ride has become easier and faster than ever.

But despite the benefits many people see with phones, there is also a common stigma attached to phones— it’s a distraction.

While parents tend to regularly berate millennial phone usage, many schools are trying to ban phone usage altogether. To achieve this, some schools are implementing Yondr Bags— a locking bag for phones. The Yondr bag functions as a safe that keeps the phone contained during instruction and class time. The pouch functions as a magnet and when class is over, the bags unlock.

Some students in Eleanor Roosevelt High School showed extreme distaste for the idea. Junior Lavar Gribsy emphatically said, “I’m not doing that.” He continued saying, “If I have to go to school and lock [my phone] up, I’m not going to school.”

Freshman Ameda Jallon took a more moderate stance on the idea saying, “I would be fine with the system but I think there should be adjustments that allow students to access their phones in case of an emergency.”

Chemistry Teacher Dr. Mark Oram showed a similar attitude towards the idea saying, “I think it is important to have some way to get emergency help.” But due to the sentiment that phones are “distracting,” he thinks “on balance it’s a good idea.”