Halt the Holders: Why teachers need to stop using phone holders in the classroom

“Everyone put their phone in the holder” — a dreaded line that almost every student has heard at some point at the beginning of a class.

You’re lucky if you’ve never had to deal with these dreaded, blue and yellow or clear holders that sit in the front of the classroom — they’re every student’s nightmare such as when my mom was spam-texting me that she got her new job and how that would change our day. Things that I needed to figure out immediately such as rides, afternoon plans, or dinner I couldn’t even know about until an hour later. While teachers use this to try to get students to be less distracted during their lectures about preterite verbs or elements, the cons of these holders outweigh any benefits.

Sure, some kids are mildly annoyed that they can’t respond to new Snapchats or text their friends complaining about their teacher. But for some, their phone is stuck in a numbered holder — unable to help them cope with the anxiety attack they feel creeping up. Another student can’t use their phone as a distraction or grounding tool for a sensory overload or maybe they won’t be able to see if their blood sugar is rapidly dropping.

Students should be trusted to have their phones during class, and teachers should only revoke this privilege when students are consistently distracted by their phones. Taking it from all students — no matter the circumstance — causes issues for students who need their phones for their well-being.

For students on the Autism spectrum, music can be an outlet. Musical patterns help those with autism to regulate their thoughts and brain processes, according to the National Autistic Society. Playing phone games often calms kids with autism due to the repetitive nature of gaming tasks and the ability to control the scenario, according to Autism Parenting Magazine.

For anxious students, listening to calming music or playing games can help them relax.

Confiscating phones also creates issues for students with Type 1 Diabetes, whose phones are used to monitor their blood sugar.

Students like Sophomore Morgan Anderson have to explain to teachers that they have Type 1 diabetes, as well as their need to access their phone at all times since they use it to monitor their blood sugar — which can create awkward conversations due to the personal matter of the subject and feeling unnecessarily having to out themselves for a disease some don’t want others to know they have. And even after these conversations, teachers still forget — tormenting students about not putting their phone in their holder.

Taking phones can also make your peers aware of disorders. Whenever Anderson’s teachers forget she needed her phone for, they would make comments about a missing phone but quickly apologize to Anderson when realizing it was hers This makes it very obvious to the class that the person has a condition where they need their phone even if they don’t want everyone to know.

While phones can be a distraction for some in the classroom, for others they’re a necessity. Teachers shouldn’t immediately resort to taking phones unless absolutely necessary.