Last week’s shooting at Apalachee High School in Georgia has reignited the debate about allowing cellphones in schools.
Some parents and students say the devices are needed during emergencies. But many educators say phones leave students distracted and disengaged in the classroom.
In Connecticut, Gov. Ned Lamont has called for limiting cellphone use in schools. The Democrat says the move will reduce student distractions.
Many educators support the idea. Kate Dias teaches in the Manchester School district and is president of the Connecticut Education Association (CEA).
“It's no longer a text or a call, but rather the entire universe of social media … can now be accessible in your classroom,” Dias told Connecticut Public’s “Where We Live.”
“When you do that, you create an unending loop of disruption,” she said.
The majority of educators polled in a recent CEA survey reported cellphone use as either "very disruptive" or "somewhat disruptive" to the school day. Many of the nearly 800 educators surveyed also said their districts' policies on cellphone use were loosely enforced.
Earlier this year, Lamont called for locking away cellphones during the day during his annual state of the state address.
At Manchester High School, students are using portable Yondr Pouches to lock cellphones during class.
It's easier than confiscating phones and is important to protecting student mental health, Manchester Superintendent Matthew Geary said.
“The Yondr pouch, which is what we've been using, allows us to have a kid lock up their phone in a pouch, but keep the pouch and then unlock it on the way out with a magnetic unlocking mechanism,” he said.
According to the Pew Research Center, more than one in three teens say they spend too much time on their smartphones.
Learn more
Connecticut Public Radio's Catherine Shen contributed to this report.
