Source: WRAL
Schools implementing stricter cellphone policies report reductions in disciplinary problems, according to leaders who shared insights with the State Board of Education recently. The board is considering whether to recommend statewide guidelines on restricting cellphone use in schools.
School leaders emphasized the need for more effective cellphone restrictions while acknowledging that disagreements persist among staff about when and how phones should be used. Educators have long pointed to cellphones as classroom distractions, although some integrate them into lessons. Schools also rely on social media and electronic messaging for communication.
Parents often resist restrictions, citing the need to stay in touch with their children. However, a growing number of educators and parents are concerned about the impact of unrestricted cellphone and social media use on children’s development. Superintendent of Public Instruction Catherine Truitt noted that while school policies can mitigate problems during the day, broader issues with social media persist outside of school.
Although most U.S. schools have cellphone policies, enforcing them consistently remains a challenge. Teachers report difficulties in implementing bans, citing concerns about liability if they confiscate phones. Administrators acknowledge that inconsistent enforcement undermines policy effectiveness. For instance, a survey in Brunswick County Schools revealed that only 17.5% of administrators believed cellphone policies were consistently enforced.
To address this, Brunswick County introduced lockable pouches for student phones, piloting the program in two middle schools. The initiative has shown promising results, with 93% of teachers reporting reduced distractions and improved student behavior. One school saw a significant drop in office referrals, from 277 last year to 163 this year.
Granville County Schools also observed positive outcomes, with suspensions down 15% following stricter enforcement of cellphone policies. Many educators link improved behavior to these measures, noting that cellphones often play a role in incidents like bullying or facilitating conflicts.
State lawmakers, including Rep. Jim Burgin (R-Harnett) and Rep. Jay Chaudhuri (D-Wake), plan to reintroduce legislation to study the impact of cellphone use and restrictions on learning, safety, and cyberbullying. Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill are already examining behavioral changes associated with these restrictions as part of a broader study on teens and social media.
School leaders stress the importance of state support in enforcing restrictions, including funding for tools like phone pouches. They also urge proactive planning for emerging technologies which could present new challenges in the near future.
Granville County Superintendent Stan Winborne highlighted the financial burden of implementing solutions like pouches, which cost $26 per student and require periodic replacement. State funding could help districts afford such measures, he said.
As schools navigate these challenges, it’s clear that addressing cellphone use is just one piece of a larger effort to balance technology’s benefits with its potential harms in educational settings.
