At LT, students revel in the degree of freedom over phone access in the classroom with the unique school policy of teacher choice. Many public officials are making moves that threaten to tighten restrictions on wireless devices in school settings, separating students from their phones.

“Our policy right now allows teachers to make phone regulations,” Division Chair of Counseling and Student Support Services Drew Eder said. “Teachers know their kids and classrooms the best.” 

Student voice was the main instigator in creating LT’s current policy, Principal Jennifer Tyrrell said. She gathered students in her Community Advisory Council to discuss the school’s policies. Statewide, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker is advancing legislation that requires Illinois school districts to ban personal cell phone use during instructional time by the 2026-2027 school year. While in the Illinois General Assembly, a combination of the Illinois State Senate and House of Representatives, including Senator Christina Castro pushes SB2427, a bill similar to Pritzker’s in its intent to ban all wireless devices during school. 

“We feel like we’re in a sweet spot [with LT’s current policy] where when you’re in a learning environment, teachers have autonomy over the phone policy,” Eder said.

Generally, most teachers at SC require students to utilize the phone pouches, while most teachers at NC allow students to keep their phones in their backpacks or pockets. Another major difference is that phone policy is reflected in class difficulty: prep, accelerated, honors, or AP, Eder said.

“Students are more productive without their phones, period,” class of 2026 guidance counselor Jane Bauer said. 

Along with less social interaction, Pritzker and Castro also expose other negative aspects of phones, like cyberbullying, and decreased in-person interaction. 

It’s too soon to see if these new phone policies are really able to decrease cyberbullying, Eder said. The potential policies will be voted on in the upcoming months. If they do pass, then LT will gauge the benefits and repercussions. 

“As an educator, I understand 45 minutes of instruction is hard and difficult,” Bauer said. “But what I miss is the days of [students] joking and talking to each other in the halls.”

Another concern that comes without immediate access to phones is safety, especially when it comes to instant communication when situations arise. While slightly below the 2023 record, the 330 school shootings recorded in 2024 was the second-highest number since 1966. The combined number of people killed and wounded in 2024 was also the second-highest on record, according to CNN. 

“Students should have input on this policy,” Student Council President Nadija Neskovic ‘26 said. “We’re supposed to go through all these drills, but what’s the point of barricading the doors if we can’t even call our parents or call for help?” 

Neskovics’ fears are similar to those of other LT students, she said. 

LT has had third party school safety consultants audit LT procedures and provide feedback, Eder said. Administrators insist current LT safety regulations will hold up in case of an emergency. Multiple government inspectors have okayed LT safety plans.  

Students and staff can find a complete list of safety procedures on LT’s website by navigating to lths.net and searching for “A System of School Safety.” 

“What if plans change?” Neskovic said. “What if we can’t exit the school, and without our phones, we’re rendered useless if plans change.” 

If LT were to disobey these potential future state laws, the state government and the federal government could pull funding in response. This comprises 10% of LT’s money—six percent from Illinois, four percent from federal, according to the Illinois Report Card. 

“Such an important part of LT is the partnership between teachers, students, and administration,” Eder said. “We have the great ability to have difficult conversations because there’s a real respect for one another.”