Dear Mrs. Principle,

This letter is regarding the policy against phones. Every school has some kind of rule against phones. Whether its no phones at all or phones off during class time. Now-a-days almost every person has a phone. Especially Junior High students. I'm almost positive every person who has a phone uses it in class no matter what the rule is. Which is why, I think, many schools have the "no phones at all" policy.

There isn't a huge difference between the two policies, but I like the policy

"Allow students to bring phones to school and use them during lunch periods and other free times, as long as the phones are turned off during class time". I favor this one mainly because, if I have an important thing to tell my mother, i like to text her during lunch time. That is, without getting my phone taken away. But its not like I'm going to pull my phone out in the middle of class to tell her. I always wait. So there are some students who do not text during class. But there are those students who text friends and others in the middle of class, and I'm not so sure about them.

I like to think less strict rules are more effective in the case of Junior High students. Not only because I like not having restrictions, but I really think in the end, it helps. Like kids who have super strict rules, and don't get to do much, seem to rebel later. So maybe, if you were to enforce the "only during lunch or break" policy, we will actually follow the rules. Teenagers don't like to have strict limits, so maybe with a less harsh policy, we won't feel so threatened.

Like I said, there isn't a big difference between the two policies. So its not going to go terribly wrong either way. Especially because regardless of the rule, some students will and some students won't. Say you go with the "Allow students to bring phones to school and use them during lunch periods and other free times, as long as the phones are turned off during class time" policy. Many of the students won't text in class because of the fear of getting caught. But say you go with the other policy. Many students won't text in class because they feel less threatened, and because they will get there texting needs met at breaks.

I think, overall, that the "only during breaks and off during class" policy is the most effective one. Teenagers respond better to the not so harsh ruling. Plus they have more respect for the school and will most likely follow the rule more. They wont feel the need to rebel. But as I said, some students will decide to text anyway, and some will follow the policy. Regardless of the policy you choose.