A public school system aims to provide equal educational opportunities. However, despite its noble goals, the public school I currently attend often focuses on the wrong things 50% of the time.
Recent policies implemented over the past 2 to 3 years (2023-2025), such as the phone policy, off-campus lunch rules, online bathroom passes, and online student IDs, have been used against us students without offering any significant benefits. These policies seem to serve only to satisfy staff members who feel they are doing something to “help the students.” Although these policies might offer partial benefits, they are insufficient.
Students are not informed about these new policies in advance, and those who break these procedures do not receive appropriate consequences. From personal experience, during my sophomore year, I stood outside my classroom filling out a tardy form given by my teacher when I was confronted by security at 7:46 AM, just as school had begun. I did not want to give up my phone, especially as I was using it for school purposes with my teacher’s consent. This incident quickly escalated into a suspension notice. When my parent called the school to retrieve my phone, they refused and sent me home, even though there was no official record of the “suspension.”
It has become normalized for students to be sent home for receiving a suspension due to refusing to surrender their personal devices. It is unfair for anyone to miss an entire day of school over not relinquishing something that they own.
Meetings should involve staff, parents, and students when changes are made, and staff should receive proper training to understand the purpose of these policies. Furthermore, certain teaching techniques are not beneficial, especially for freshmen who are just starting their high school journey.
Investing in teacher development and support is essential. Currently, many teachers simply present a packet or an online assignment and instruct us to “figure it out,” rather than actively teaching the subject in front of the class. Facing overcrowded classrooms, the pressure of standardized testing, and outdated resources is insufficient for a quality education.
I believe that all students’ 21st-century skills should be actively challenged across all subjects by incorporating more project-based learning, hands-on experiences, career-focused activities, and arts-based learning techniques. Students need these types of activities and learning styles to remain engaged and motivated throughout their educational journey.
