The solutions to the phone problems among Pittsburgh Public Schools have been tackled in numerous ways. Some schools use bins or Yondr pouches, neither of these solutions have been proven to be completely effective. As the school year rounds the corner once again, Sci-Tech unveiled during the Back To School Night Event our very own solution to the phone problem.

Sci-Tech will not be using bins or the exorbitantly expensive Yondr pouches but yet another expensive solution. Phone cabinets: basically glorified metal filing cabinets with slots for phones. A single cabinet costs about $100 and there is seemingly one for each homeroom. The hefty price of these cabinets makes students wonder if other areas of the school have also received appropriate funding. For example, is there still only one metal detector for each side of the building? Have we received a full-time nurse? Are there menstruation products for our female, non-binary, and transgender students? Have teachers been able to adequately fund their classrooms?

This solution is already detested among students, with 11th grade Jayla Andrews stating, “They want to take our phones because they believe we are not learning. But if they take our phones and we don’t feel safe or comfortable, how are we supposed to learn? And not only that but the people that are making the decisions about the phone policies are ones that haven’t walked the hallways in decades.” A student who asked to remain nameless expressed, “While some students have a consistent phone issue and constantly have their phone taken, a majority of students have little to no phone referrals. It’s not equitable nor fair to punish these students. As a student who has never gotten my phone taken, it’s unfair to me because no matter how many times I follow the rules I’ll still be punished for something I didn’t do. Rather than lock up all phones, have a system in which repeat offenders are punished accordingly.”

This is again an example of how the administration pretends to care about the opinions of families, staff, and students only to go against the outspoken disagreement of all. Like my peers at other schools have said policies like this are a violation of privacy. Once again, administration appears two-faced and hypocrisy runs through it like lead poisoning. An administration that told teachers to stop printing essential papers because it would be too expensive. An administration that told staff not to alert parents of a shooting threat (which parents and guardians only knew about because of their students). An administration that kicked a student out on the day of finals because they didn’t scan in when they were not late. This is not the first time the leadership at Sci-Tech has gone into question and it certainly will not be the last. This solution arises many questions, none that will be answered honestly until the school year begins. If administration cares so much about instructional time and not losing it, how will this not cut into class? Would this not create a traffic jam at both the main entrances and exits? What is the consequence for not adhering to this policy?

Why administration would choose such a rash and highly unfavorable decision, is something we’ll never know. Is it an attempt to fear monger and scare students and staff into submission? Is it all an excuse to enact more power and control over people who cannot or are too scared to do anything about it? Now after a stall this past weekend, the policy has gone through. This decision by Sci-Tech’s administration is not only irrationally aggressive but hostile as well. With that being said, I truly wonder what’s next to come and can the constituents of the school do anything to stop it?