As I am typing this, Noah Kahan is playing in my headphones. I enjoy listening to his music–the piano, the drums, the guitar, his voice. But as I am writing, I don’t hear the words he is saying. They fade into the background as I zero in on the words I am typing onto the page. Without music, I find it difficult to focus on my writing. I often get distracted by little things like a classmate tapping on their desk, or someone typing on their keyboard.  When I’m working, I prefer to be in my own world, surrounded by music. Nonetheless, I still manage to focus with these distractions. I do well in school, and I perform well on tests I am required to take in silent classrooms. After an assessment, I enjoy escaping into my world, turning on my favorite playlist, and reading a book. 

That world is being taken away from me. Beginning January 21st, if a student in an ICCSD secondary school is seen with headphones on during “instructional time,” the headphones are to be confiscated. “Instructional time” starts when the tardy bell rings and ends when students are dismissed from class. This new policy means that if I am asked to write an essay and wish to listen to music during work time, I am prohibited from doing so. 

I recognize the issue of phones in schools. I understand why the district has become more strict on their policy involving phone usage. There has been an abundance of evidence showing how phones can negatively impact students’ learning. A survey by Pew Research was conducted this year that reported that 70 percent of high school teachers say that students being distracted by their phones is a “major problem.” I agree with these teachers. Phones are, without a doubt, a distraction. But they are not the only distraction in the classroom. As I previously mentioned, there are plenty of distractions we as students are exposed to every time we step foot into a classroom. 

I simply want the right to escape a few of the distractions. Listening to music helps me focus, and during the school day, music helps relieve the stress, pressure, and expectations of school. Oftentimes, all I need is one song. I put on my headphones and three minutes and 45 seconds later, I can breathe normally again. I believe that our district’s new policy is unreasonable, and should not be implemented in our schools until it is revised.