No Phones, No Tablets—Now This in Amarillo High Schools

Last week, my oldest son had his freshman orientation at his new high school here in Amarillo, and we were hit with a bit of a shock just before we went in.

As you may recall, the new ban on using cell phones, tablets, smart watches, etc., goes into effect the second they set foot on campus, but there is something that I'm not sure any of us were thinking about.

How School Has Changed Over The Years In Amarillo

Learning has shifted a ton over the years. Back when I was in school, we were carrying around heavy books everywhere we went. We had lockers, so we didn't have to have a 20-pound backpack, thanks to the books.

Now, we've moved to more of a digital age where the learning is done on laptops and Chromebooks. All the textbooks we had to carry have been translated digitally. Kids no longer have a need for lockers. In fact, my son's school doesn't even have them in the halls.

Read More: Texas Schools Enforce New Cell Phone Ban in Classrooms

What Else Could Be Banned From School

So what took us by surprise when we went to get his schedule? The fact that we were going to be charged $40 for a Chromebook through the school. We know they're available for them to rent out for the year, but our son has his own Chromebook.

Well, that apparently falls into the category of personal devices that they aren't allowed to use in class. In other words, EVERYONE will have to have a school-issued Chromebook for the year so they can control what is on them. Using a personal device allows them a lot of the same luxuries that the other banned devices provide, so get ready to rent one this year.