As young people living in a modern age, our lives naturally revolve around technology—our computers, tablets, and most importantly our phones. Recently, New Jersey schools have become increasingly strict when it comes to smartphone usage. Last year, we had to put our phones away, and our WiFi was turned off so we couldn’t use them in class. However, this year, NJ schools like JCHS have implemented a new system called Smartpass.

(Image courtesy of Evodate Capital)

So what is SmartPass and how does it work?

When you use SmartPass, you have to create a digital pass and fill out the reason why you need to leave class. Some options include the nurses office, the bathroom, etc. The system will also time you, giving you only about 7 minutes to do what you need to do. If you are using the bathroom, you have to go to the closest one. If that bathroom is full, you will need to wait in a queue before you can sign out.  The system also keeps track of what students are frequently using the passes. The objective of this system is to maintain order and make sure nobody is skipping classes and missing out on their education. 

Why is JCHS implementing this system? 

Talking to some JCHS teachers, I was able to understand why this was implemented. Mrs. Schecter, the AP environmental science teacher, told me that “It is an efficient, paperless way to organize the comings and goings of students.” She said that is “too early to say” if the system is working and that “at certain times of day, the bathroom traffic seems to be the same as last year.” Mrs. Schecter says that when she was first told about the smartpass, she just accepted it as a new platform that we would be using. 

Doing some additional research online, I found an article from Charlotte County, Florida, which stated that the county implemented the system in hopes of monitoring students while on campus but, importantly, monitors their safety in and out of the classroom. (Wink News)

What do the students think?

Talking to some of my peers, I definitely noticed sentiment against the new protocol. One student, who wishes to be anonymous, declared that “It creates a lack of student freedom,” and later compared the school environment of this year to that of George Orwell’s dystopian novel, 1984. 

When I asked some other students for any pros they could think of I was told by senior Abigail Mauntone that “there are no pros!” When I interviewed my friend Haley Crisafi, she said: “I don’t like it because it puts a timer on how long I have to pee.” When I asked her to describe it with one word, her reply was “stressful.” Olivia Depiro shared the same sentiment, saying that it is stressful trying to get back in time.  Jane Weinfeld feels that the policy is “infuriating, annoying, and should not be a thing.”