SPECIFICALLY FOR GUNSTON MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS: We Deserve To Be Able To Use Our iPads At Lunch!

September 5th, 2017. That's when it started for us. We signed a contract that stated, "You may use your iPads for non-educational purposes out of school and during lunch. You may not use your phone during school hours except during lunch." We know that this year you "corrected" this document, but when we signed it, we were under the impression that we could use our iPads during lunch. We understand that using our iPads during lunch was a privilege we were fortunate to be granted by APS, but we would greatly appreciate getting this privilege back.
     We understand how you thought removing iPads and phones would force people to socialize. I'm sure in some cases it has. "I'm so glad they banned phones! During lunch, it's so much more fun now," said Lucy Wonders, an eighth grade Gunston student, when asked about the technology ban. In Lucy's case, the problem was the phone. While we think it would be nice to have phones, we are advocating for iPads which act as educational devices. Most things on the iPad are for school or are interactive (showing someone a photo, listening to music, or comparing personality test results).
     One main reason as to why we should be able to use iPads during lunch is when you don't allow their use in the cafeteria, it encourages students to use their iPads during class for non-educational purposes. Those thirty extra minutes will help the students put down the iPad and be attentive during class time. Without it, they are forced to finish projects for other classes during class because they were unable to during lunch. When you take that time away, they feel the impulse to use their iPads more during instruction time.
     We have also always been told that lunch is "our time." Our time to do homework, socialize, eat, and whatever else. But by not letting us use our iPads and phones, you are going against what you have told us since the beginning of the school year.
     The school's recent increase in concern about its students eating breakfast is hypocritical when you're preventing us from eating lunch. The rule that disallows students from even bringing their iPads into the cafeteria severely impacts some students' ability to finish their lunches in the allotted time. Some people take the entire lunch to eat and having to go all the way to their locker can be challenging, especially if it's on the other side of the school. "I've had loads of times where I had food left over and, because of the new policy that makes it so you can't take food outside the cafeteria, I just had to throw it all away," explained Julia Snell, a seventh grade student.
   "There've been plenty of instances where I've had online class work. For example, in History I had this project that I needed to finish, but couldn't because of these restrictions," described Ilene Unpingco. Like Ilene, we've experienced this situation various times. This issue has ranged from homework, to projects, to simply checking our grades. We were informed that this rule was enforced because kids used their iPads during lunch inappropriately, and because administrators wanted students to socialize more, but not all students use their iPads irresponsibly and not everyone wishes to socialize. In fact, iPads may even increase socialization. For example, you can bond over liking the same thing, listening to music, or showing your friends pictures of your pets.
     We can go to classrooms during lunch to do school work on our iPads, but in doing so we lose our free time. Also, by the time we get to the intended class we've lost time and we still have to both eat and work so, once again, we're getting less food.
     One recommend solution is to have a designated area for using our electronics. I don't fully support this idea but it could work. Punishment for not using the iPad in the correct area would remain the same. This would also make it easier to monitor what we're doing so you will know if it's school related. You may also make it so you have to be done eating in this area if that would help.
Another idea, which we favor, is to have a designated days for using our iPads. We recommend Fun Fridays and Work Wednesdays. There would be less people upset about this policy in this situation. Punishment would still apply on the non-iPad days.
     We would feel less upset about this lack of freedom if it was a constant between schools. "No, we can use my iPad whenever we want at my school," said Kai Yaeger, a Thomas Jefferson Middle School student. Gunston is probably the only school in the county with this rule.
     In conclusion, we'd cherish the privilege of using our iPads in the cafeteria. Even if nothing comes of this letter, the awareness that you took our words into consideration would be appreciated. Thank you for reading and acknowledging our earnest opinion.