How should schools handle cell phones? North Texas districts addressing issue in different ways
Students and cell phones are a combination that's increasingly become a hang-up at local school districts.
Teachers say phone use takes away time for learning and causes distractions. Evidence is growing about other problems.
"What we know is if they have their cell phone in school they’re just going to have more screen time throughout the day. And what we see from a psychological perspective is that the more screen time kids have, the more we see things like depression, poor self-image, they’re being impacted by the things they see online," said Jasmine Ghannadpour, Pediatric Psychologist at Children’s Health and Assistant Professor at UT Southwestern.
Those aren't the only issues.
"They are using them for meet ups in the bathroom to do drug deals. It is a reality. To sell vapes, laced with THC. They use cell phones for bullying and harassment, and take videos in compromising positions," said Keller ISD superintendent Tracy Johnson at a recent meeting.
Keller ISD to ban cell phones during school hours
Keller ISD is expected to enforce new cell phone rules to keep students focused on learning during the upcoming school year.
Many districts have taken different approaches to restrict cell phone use.
Grapevine-Colleyville ISD bans students from using phones in class and threatens a $15 fine for those who break the rules four or more times.
This is similar to the policy Mansfield ISD implemented last year, but there, first-time rule breakers have to pay the $15 fine to get their confiscated device back.
In Richardson ISD, students put their phones and Bluetooth headphones in lockable pouches that make them inaccessible during the school day.
Dallas ISD has a classroom phone ban, and it is testing out the punch program at these three schools this year.
Frisco ISD seems to have one of the more lenient takes. It will continue allowing students to have phones on in class, as long as they are silenced and put away.
In Fort Worth and Arlington ISDs the districts will continue letting each campus decide its plan for the year.
Northwest ISD has implemented a phone in class ban at its schools.
Any time this conversation has come up over the years, the chief complaint districts hear from parents is wanting to have access to their childer during the day in case of an emergency.
Psychologists say it's a good reminder for schools to make sure their communication systems are bolstered, so parents don't feel the need to reach out to their child when they're in class.
"It’s helpful for us to feel like we can always contact our child or they can always contact us at any time, but I also think it increases our anxiety to be thinking about having that type of access to our kids while they’re at school," said Ghannadpour.
The doctor also says the general recommendation for screen time is no more than two hours a day.
She recommended a resource guide for parents to refer to when it comes to talking about phone use with their kids.
You can learn more here.