by Dick Hall-Sizemore
Schools around the country, including in Virginia, are beginning to effectively ban students’ use of cellphones in schools.
According to available data, about 75 percent of schools in the country ban the non-academic use of cellphones during school hours. However, in most cases, the ban is enforced sporadically. Teachers are put on the spot to enforce it, which creates another source of tension in the classroom. Enforcement is inconsistent— some teachers are OK with some cellphone use; others might feel that they would not be supported by the administration; others might not want to deal with angry parents over the issue.
Technology has made the implementation of a ban much easier. Yondr, a San Francisco-based company, makes a magnetically sealed pouch that can be used to keep cellphones unavailable for use. They have been used at concerts to prevent attendees from filming performances, but schools have been their biggest customers recently. It works simply: When students arrive at school, if they are carrying their cellphones, they place the devices in the pouches which, when closed, are magnetically sealed. During the day, the cellphones cannot be accessed. When leaving the school, the pouches can be unlocked with a docking device.
Several school districts in Virginia have adopted the devices either wholly or on a pilot basis and others are considering doing so. Hopewell city schools adopted the program last year; Charlottesville did so this year. Those are relatively small school systems, each with only one high school and one middle school. Richmond, a much bigger school district, has implemented the program on a pilot basis in six of its schools this year — three high schools and three middle schools. The Petersburg school board is considering putting in the program. Roanoke city schools were a pioneer in Virginia on this issue. They put the Yondr devices in math classes in two high schools on a pilot basis. Obviously, the division did not follow up on the pilot; it has recently conducted a survey on cellphone use in schools and how to control it.
A recent article in The Washington Post examined the results of using the Yondr devices in a Connecticut middle school. In addition to students being less distracted from their work in school, administrators reported the following changes:
- Group vaping sessions where students would coordinate to meet in restrooms to smoke prohibited electronic cigarettes? Finished;
- Using AirDrop to share inappropriate photos during class? No more;
- Social-media-fueled arguments during school? Over;
- Shorter rest room breaks;
- Teachers no longer have to engage in power struggles with students.
The students reported some positive results as well. They feel like they are making more friends and they are actually talking face to face to each other.
Officials of the school system are not naïve. They realize that some students may be sneaking cellphones into the school. Their solution for such a situation is simple: automatic detention for any student taking out a cellphone.
Opposition to the bans has come not only from students, but, more importantly, from parents. Many Charlottesville parents were incensed that they would not be able to communicate with their children personally via cellphone. The assistant principal of the Connecticut middle school profiled in the Post article reminded parents that they could call the school in case of an emergency and that the school would contact them in case of an emergency involving their child. In addition, teachers had cellphones to use in the case of an emergency.
Furthermore, in the case of a school shooting, you want students hiding and keeping quiet, not talking on their cellphones or having their cellphones going off in response to incoming calls from anxious parents. As for those parents who like the convenience of being able to contact their kids with last-minute schedule changes or reminders, the assistant principal commented, they “had to just to get over it.” They could call the school office which would relay messages to their children.
Several months after the implementation of the program, most parents seemed reconciled or even appreciative. As long as they were assured adequate plans were in place to cope with any emergency, they were “totally fine,” commented one parent.
It seems this is a solution to a problem that bedevils many schools.
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