OPINION: WA schools should ban cellphones in classrooms

This editorial was published in The Columbian of Vancouver, Wash.

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When it comes to cellphone use by students, local educators have a concept of a plan. It’s about time.

As reported recently by The Columbian, the Vancouver and Evergreen districts hope to have policies in place by the 2025-26 school year. While it is frustrating that officials have not shown more urgency in addressing the issue, it is important now to look ahead. Potential policies must emphasize that education is the paramount duty of schools, that phones in class can pose a distraction, and that digital devices can have deleterious effects.

Student access to phones during class time should have been eliminated the moment that such devices arrived to transform our society. A student would not be allowed to walk from one class to another and interrupt a friend; it is inconceivable that they are allowed to do so electronically.

Beyond that, there is room for discussion. Should phone use be permissible between classes or during lunch? What is the least invasive way for parents to contact students if necessary? These are questions that require thoughtful consideration and input from parents.

In August, the state Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction issued guidelines for districts and called upon them to adopt cellphone policies by the start of next school year. “Reducing the use of cellphones in class improves concentration and learning, improves mental and physical health, and reduces pressures caused by social media,” Superintendent Chris Reykdal wrote.

Multiple studies have confirmed those assertions, but guidance from state officials still is warranted. Districts that have considered bans or restrictions on cellphones typically report pushback from some parents who express concern about being unable to contact their children. Because of that pushback, some administrators would prefer a directive from the state.

Now that some broad guidance has been issued, local schools are finally moving forward. In October, Vancouver Public Schools leaders surveyed staff, families and students regarding cellphone use and received 7,000 responses. A similar survey in Evergreen Public Schools received approximately 3,000 responses.

Kathy Decker, a member of the Vancouver school board, told The Columbian that the district is weighing how it “can create a cellphone policy that supports learning and mental health in our schools but also values what the schools and students need as well.”

But Michael Rich, a professor of social and behavioral sciences at Harvard University, and other experts have said that what students need is attention to classwork. “It’s important for parents, teachers, and the kids to remember what they are doing at any point in time and focus on that,” Rich said. “It’s really only in mono-tasking that we do very well at things.”

Notably, Vancouver School of Arts and Academics — a school for grades 6-12 in the Vancouver district — requires students to keep phones in numbered plastic pouches at the front of classrooms to limit in-class usage. And the district’s Columbia River High School has implemented a similar policy. Administrators can learn from the experiences at those schools, which should help them quickly develop districtwide programs.

Other districts throughout the nation have adopted varying policies to help students maintain focus in the classroom. The goal is to help students manage and effectively use their devices.

The need for a policy limiting cellphone use in class has been evident for several years. It is about time that it draws attention in local school districts.

TNS