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by Elyse Caron
Thomaston, CT-The administration is allowing students to use iPods in certain areas of the Thomaston High School building. The areas that students are allowed to listen to iPods in the cafeteria during lunch, prior to school or during study halls, as well as the fitness center and the out door senior area patio.
Previously, iPods were not allowed to be used at all, and would be confiscated if seen by any faculty or staff members of the school. iPods are not allowed to be used any other time during the school day. If a student is seen with an iPod in areas not permitted by the new policy, disciplinary actions will be taken against the student. For the first offense, the iPod will be confiscated, and can be retrieved at the end of the day. For the second offense, the student's iPod will be confiscated and will have to be picked up by his or her parent. For the third offense, the iPod will be confiscated and kept in the school's safe until the end of the school year.
Not all local high schools are so tolerant of iPods. At Litchfield High School, they do not allow this privilege at all. Litchfield High School 2009-10 handbook states "cell phones, iPods, beepers, and recording devices are not to be used while school is in session." Such devices will be confiscated, and the administration will follow its rules of disciplinary actions. One student from Holy Cross said her school follows similar actions that Litchfield High School does.
Even with THS's new policy, allowing some usage, Courtney Chandler, a THS freshman, felt the new policy was too limiting. "The new iPod policy could be less strict. Students should be able to listen to iPods while typing on the computer." Another freshman, who wished to remain anonymous, agreed. "The new iPod policy could be more lenient. iPods should be used to a certain extent," she said.
However, some students thought that the policy was reasonable. "The new iPod policy is fair. You can use it in certain places," said Toni Barbera, a sophomore at THS.
When asked what made him consider changing the policy, John Perricci, principal at THS, said, "Schools are restrictive in nature. Considering that, [I decided to] ease restrictions where I could." He said he wanted the usage to cause no disruption to instructional time, allowing use in the cafeteria and fitness center "where there would be little disruption with the use of mp3 players."
Many people might think that there should not be any usage of iPods in school, that the students should solely be working and focusing on their schoolwork, and should not be able to listen to their music in school. Listening to iPods could and would be a distraction to students.