No, I’m not suggesting students go through the severance procedure when they enter school, though many might agree to it, rather their cellphones should.

Schools have long been locked in a losing battle with technology, oscillating between resistance and capitulation. From internet filters to cell phone pouches, educational institutions have struggled to find meaningful ways to integrate digital tools into learning environments.

The technological evolution has outpaced educational adaptation. While schools invested millions in restrictive software systems, they simultaneously abandoned traditional textbooks, hoping web resources would fill the gap. The result has been predictable: educational chaos.

Smartphones epitomize this challenge. For over a decade, these devices have incrementally eroded classroom focus, with educators resorting to increasingly desperate measures like cell phone pouches and blanket bans. Now, artificial intelligence presents the latest technological frontier that schools must confront.

But what if we reimagined this relationship?

Most students carry the world's knowledge in their pockets. Why not let them access it? The question isn't whether technology belongs in classrooms, but how we can harness it effectively.

A Proposed Solution: Severance for phones…

As they enter school, students slide their phones through a machine, we hear the severance sound effect, and the phones come out the other end with all apps and browsers blocked except for their calculator, dictionary tool and one, well-tailored AI platform.

Ok, maybe a Severance machine would be too dramatic and costly. How about an app that automatically kicks in when school starts and kicks off when it ends? A dedicated app could automatically activate school-mode restrictions, similar to many existing focus applications.

Imagine a system where student phones are transformed into focused learning tools upon entering school. Instead of complete prohibition, we could implement smart restrictions that:
•       Block distracting apps and unrestricted browsing
•       Provide access to essential tools like calculators and dictionaries
•       Enable a carefully curated AI platform with educational guardrails
Tech companies claim to be invested in education. Here's their opportunity to prove it by developing platforms that genuinely support learning.

Redirecting Educational Energy

With technology strategically managed, teachers could redirect their efforts to:
•       Teach robust dictionary skills to combat declining vocabulary
•       Demonstrate advanced calculator techniques
•       Guide students in using AI as a research and editing tool, not a replacement for critical thinking

The goal isn't to fight technology, but to integrate it meaningfully. The technology exists; what's missing is the mindset to implement it. Our educational approach must evolve. By treating technology as a collaborative tool rather than an adversary, we can prepare students for a digital future, their futures—not by blocking it, but by teaching strategic engagement that will benefit both students’ innies and their outies.