Brooke Hillins

Students have to keep their phones and backpacks in their lockers from 8:00 am to 2:35 pm.

Students, faculty, and staff are back in the building for the 2025-2026 school year. With a new school year just beginning, Benilde St. Margaret’s has made a few changes to its policies. Starting this year, phones must be kept in lockers for the full day. Backpack passes are also being revoked, which means that each student must use a locker.

Last year, BSM was more lenient with its phone policy. Students were allowed to have their phones in the halls and during lunch, but had to put them in a phone holder during class. This year, phones are not allowed at all and must be kept in lockers until 2:35 pm.

Having your phone during school hours is of great benefit to students, but I also understand why BSM has changed its policies. School is a time to focus on education and socializing with your friends. Having phones at school, especially during lunch, leads to students avoiding socializing. The first few lunches I’ve had without my phone have been very nice because everyone is engaging with each other, instead of being sucked into their phone.

While the new policy has had good results, there are concerns about communication in the event of an emergency. If an emergency were to occur, students wouldn’t be able to contact their families. That is the only part of the rule that I see as a negative, and I think the idea of this worries students and parents alike.

In past years at BSM, backpack passes were popular among the student body. Students would receive one if they had an injury or an accommodation. This year, if students want a backpack pass, they need to carry around the school’s very own Red Knight customized backpack. It’s a big change for students who had a pass last year but were unable to receive one this year.

This new rule has upset some of the students at BSM because they aren’t used to having lockers. At the same point in time, I understand why the administration made this change. They aren’t fully revoking backpack passes; they are just offering a solution that creates equality for the whole student body. Last year, students made fake backpack passes, they abused the passes, and carried their backpacks around when they didn’t have an accommodation. Having the customized backpacks helps keep the rule in place and makes sure students aren’t abusing the policy. Overall, I see the benefits and negative effects of the new policy, and ultimately think BSM has made the right choice.