Austin Craig

Students and faculty have been shaken after witnessing Katy’s broad new device rule.

Katy ISD has issued that in the 2024-2025 school year, every student will be  provided their own personal Chromebook, and phones will be prohibited on the school campus.  This policy has caused an uproar among the students and faculty, with many concerned about the burden and conflicts this would cause. Katy ISD is adamant that this policy is necessary for the safety and success of its students. 

“I think it is necessary to keep up with the changing times. It is important that everyone has the same access to technology,” said head principal Mark Grisdale.   

Grisdale believes this policy is necessary to ensure students have the same access to technology and opportunities to succeed. He hopes the policy will successfully achieve its goal of providing equitable access to technology. Grisdale also hopes that the policy will help reduce the digital divide, an important indicator of social equity. He hopes it will level the playing field for all students, regardless of their financial background.

“There will be an adjustment period where students will have to give up their cell phones, and some kids will have a hard time adjusting to Chromebooks, but it is the way of the future, so they will have to,” said Grisdale.

The Katy-ISD policy will not be the easiest to apply automatically, but Grisdale believes it will ensure students’ most successful academic achievement.  Grisdale thinks this will benefit students in the long run, as they will develop the skills necessary to succeed in the ever-evolving digital world. Grisdale points out that these skills are essential for success in the job market and that students must be prepared for the digital future. He encourages parents to ensure their children can access the latest technologies and develop the skills to use them.

“ There are always going to be kids who want to do what they want to do; some people also do not want to have a Chromebook and will get one; there also might be problems with students losing their Chromebooks or chargers,” said Grisdale. 

Though there are many benefits to every student having their device, there might be severe pushback from students. To counter this, Grisdale suggests providing students with resources to help them understand the benefits of having their own devices. He also suggests having parents sign an agreement stating they are responsible for ensuring their child’s device is safe.

“I feel like the policy might receive a lot of pushback because people just prefer to bring their own devices because it is more personal to them, ” said sophomore Syeda Ali.

With the rise of online courses and online learning, students have had to learn to navigate new platforms and use new digital tools, and adapt to new technologies. This can be incredibly challenging for students not used to using Chromebooks. Many students will have to break the comfort of having their own personal device to obey the policy.  

“Though this is a new adjustment, I feel like good things could come out of it, like many students will be less distracted and will be more social,” said Ali.

Several conflicts might arise, but there will be good outcomes. As Chromebooks offer a cloud-based environment, students can access any documents and applications they need from any device, making it easier to collaborate and complete tasks. Additionally, Chromebooks are designed to be distraction-free, allowing students to focus on their work without being distracted by other applications or notifications.

“I don’t believe that the policy is that beneficial because many kids need their devices to contact their parents or for personal reasons,” said junior Aliza Rizvi.

Rizvi is firmly opposed to the policy as she thinks many kids find it challenging to contact their parents due to the lack of their devices.  Rizvi believes that students must have access to their devices and should be allowed to use them for personal needs. She also believes students should be allowed to use their devices for school-related activities. She argues that this will give students more flexibility and control over their learning and enable them to use their technology creatively. It will also give students access to more resources, as they can use their own devices to access online materials.

“ I know many kids who might retaliate against the policy because they want their freedom with their devices,” said Rizvi.

A benefit of this policy is that it encourages students to be independent and use their technology, which can help them to become more independent and self-reliant. Additionally, it gives them access to more resources, as they can now use their own devices to access online materials. However, some students may feel that their freedom is being infringed upon, and they may resist the policy.

“ Conflicts may arise in the fact that many kids might have transportation problems such as contacting their parents if they have something after school or an emergency, social issues or even have a hard time adjusting to the new policy,” said Rizvi.

Katy ISD has taken upon a new challenge among themselves as many students may retaliate or protest; however, if the policy is followed correctly and implemented, it could create excellent academic outcomes for many students.