Life at MA

By Cameron Erickson '28 in Winter 2025

No, phones are not currently planning on being banned, but at the beginning of this school year, the phone policy at MA was changed. Students are no longer able to have their phones in their pockets or backpacks while they are in class, but instead must put them in a small compartment that is hung near the entrance of every classroom. This new policy has faced backlash from students feeling the new rule is intrusive, but is it for good reason? 

In an article by the New York Times, Tim Herrera writes that “the moment a device enters your general proximity, even if it’s not yours, your cognitive performance starts to decline.”  While students at MA have to use computers for all of our classes, a device such as your phone can be much more tempting to pull out and look at. Herrara then explains that when your phone is out of sight, there is research proving that it puts it much more out of mind, increasing one's ability to focus on the work they are trying to complete. So, while students may be unhappy about not being able to have their phones during classes, it may very likely improve the quality of their work during school hours.