Ever since the candidates for DHS’s new principal visited the school, rumors began flying around about policies and rules to be implemented once outgoing Principal John Gould’s position was filled. One of the most disconcerting reports was the news that cellphones and backpacks would be banned from all classrooms and ordered to stay within lockers at all times.

Whether this is true, or merely gossip, it would come as no shock if members of the administration were in favor of this guideline. Teachers are constantly complaining about phones in the classroom, implementing tools such as boxes and buckets to collect the devices and prohibit their use.

However, as students, and members of a high-tech, 21st century world, having a cellphone on call has almost become a necessity and common standard.

It’s safe to say that the majority of high school students own a cellphone, and as much as they can be a form of distraction from time to time, the pros heavily outweigh the cons when considered from the perspective of a student.

What many authority figures fail to realize is that cellphones are used for so much more than just texting friends and scrolling through social media in the midst of a class. “We use them as a source of communication,” said junior Kailey Humason, “especially for sports.”

When a game or practice is cancelled, an announcement isn’t made until five minutes before the end of the day, leaving barely any time to make arrangements regarding the circumstances. A change as such can lead to plans becoming skewed, especially for students who can’t yet drive and are left not knowing how they’ll arrive home.

With phones, students are notified of cancellations via either a tweet or text during the school day, letting them know with ample time to work out any issues that may arise.

In our hectic lives, cluttered with extracurricular activities and outside responsibilities, holding the power of communication at your fingertips is an asset. With life’s constant unpredictability, there will always be certain situations in which the unexpected comes about.  Emergencies can happen anywhere, at any time, and school is no exception to the rule.

Two years ago, when I ran for student council, I showed up to Student Council Adviser Lynn Vicente’s room the day that nomination forms were due and handed in my paper. To my surprise, there was a back side to the sheet that required a parent signature. The paper was handed back to me, and I was told to somehow get it signed before the end of the day or else I’d be ineligible to run.

Thankfully my mother was off from work that day and was able to meet me in the main lobby to sign my form, and I was allowed to enter the election. However, without my phone, this story would’ve had a less happy ending, and a great opportunity would have been missed.

Having access to a cellphone allows for students to work out a situation. For example, if a student accidentally forgot a binder at home, they could text a parent asking them to either deliver the binder to the school or fax a note, allowing them to pick it up themselves.

Phones can also be used within the classroom as a resource to the lesson whether it be as a calculator, a search engine, or a document reader.

For backpacks, it’s a matter of general convenience, making life easier for students and in turn their teachers.

“We have a ton of books as students, and without backpacks we’d have to go to our lockers between each period,” said Humason.

The passing periods don’t offer much wiggle room for things other than walking to and from class, especially if the previous and subsequent happen to be on opposite ends of the school. Adding the factor of locker visits between every block would ensure a greater chance of students arriving late to class.

Backpacks can hold anything and everything for students: the essentials such as books, binders, calculators, pens, and pencils, as well as the things which we don’t necessarily need but are helpful to have like water, snacks, hair ties, ChapStick, tissues, etc.

Backpacks also carry items that aren’t necessary for school, but are for life. “What if a girl gets her period,” said sophomore Caroline Casey. “There’re things that we really do need for that and not having them with us would just make the whole thing even more inconvenient.”

I can’t imagine what argument could be made against having backpacks, other than the fact that they can hold cell phones within them, but the action of carrying a phone on you is a benefit rather than a detriment.

NEXT ISSUE: The teachers get their say on cell phones in school.