For about a decade, school districts have debated whether to ban cellphones from students altogether, encourage teachers to incorporate them into their lessons or take some middle ground.
There seems to be a growing movement towards total bans, especially at the state level.And this month, Los Angeles, the nation’s second-largest school district, The school announced that it would ban students from using cell phones starting in January. In explaining the decision, LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho argued that cell phones distract students from their studies and that social media platforms are harmful to children’s mental health.
Many educators agree with him: In fact, nearly one in four teachers support a total ban on cell phones.That’s according to a nationwide survey conducted last fall by the EdWeek Research Center.
But what do educators attending the International Society for Technology in Education annual conference here in Denver think? ISTE is one of the largest educational technology conferences in the world. It’s hard to imagine a gathering of so many educational technology directors, coaches and teachers who are actively using digital tools.
Surely educators in this hub of educational technology would not be in favor of banning a technology as ubiquitous as cell phones, right?
Not exactly. In fact, when two EdWeek reporters spoke to ISTE attendees about their school’s cell phone policies, they received a variety of responses.
Here’s a sampling of the stories we heard:
Why educators support cell phone bans
take: Let’s ban it. It’s a huge hindrance.
“I [bans]I’m a parent myself, so I understand the safety concerns. [of not having direct access to our kids at school]But we need to be able to trust our schools. Mobile phones are a distraction, and it’s too much to ask your child to pay attention when their phone is ringing in their pocket or their smartwatch is vibrating on their wrist..
“They’re out of their control. It’s human nature. Even as adults, it’s hard to put down your phone and concentrate on a staff meeting.”
—Rachel Lemanski, Elementary Library Coordinator, Dudley-Charlton, Massachusetts
take: This is prohibited to ensure the safety of students.
“I’m a middle schooler, so it influences everything I do. [banning cellphones]This is a safety issue, as a school we can’t do much to monitor what students are doing on their personal devices, but we need to know what they are doing as it is part of our responsibility.
“It’s also about engagement. [students] “We ask students to put their phones away so they can focus on the class. And because we’re now in a 1:1 district, students don’t need their phones to access their learning materials.”
—Jerilyn Williams, Middle School Math Teacher, Pinelands Schools, New Jersey
take: Consider a ban, but don’t make teachers the enforcers.
“I’m a professional explorer. [a ban]There is ample data on social media and mental health issues. We have a responsibility to protect the well-being of our children. If we are not willing to do something about it, [to help]that is, what are we doing?
“I believe you can’t put the onus on teachers. Teachers are already exhausted. They’re already in short supply. And we expect teachers to have great relationships with their students. But maintaining the status quo of ‘it’s the teacher’s decision’ creates barriers. [to relationship building] It doesn’t have to be there.”
—A technology administrator for a school district in Texas, who didn’t want to be named because it contradicts district policy that leaves cell phone decisions up to individual teachers.
Why educators are against banning cell phones
take: Students need to learn how to use them, so don’t ban them.
“As high school teachers, we need to teach our students how to use cell phones and how to use them responsibly. If we just ban them, what will that really accomplish when they go out into the workforce? How will they know when, where and how it is appropriate to use them? The teenage years are a time when we are figuring things out.”
—Candace Breaux, Career and Technical Education Supervisor, West Baton Rouge Parish Schools, Louisiana.
take: Don’t ban them because it would mean teachers would spend a lot of time enforcing the policy.
“The teachers [cellphones]”But I don’t know how far it’s actually going to go. Kids have phones. They’re going to use them. As an educator, I personally feel that especially now, we need to figure out how to help kids use their phones productively and get on with the task at hand.”
—Lauren Tavares, Director of Digital Learning, Ector County Independent School District, Texas
take: Although they are a problem, don’t get rid of them.
“Since the pandemic, I’ve spoken to a lot of teachers across the country, and they’re seeing kids who are struggling to talk face-to-face or work in groups. They’re hiding behind their phones. It’s supporting them. And some of my kids feel safe because they’ve experienced a lot of trauma. [with their phones].
“You have to work really hard with them to realize, ‘Oh, they’re not being rude.’ You have to really change that mindset from, ‘They’re doing it because they don’t feel safe. If I yell at these kids, [to put their phones away]they just get up and walk out.”
—Kristin Conley, teacher at Arapaho Ridge High School, an alternative school in Colorado
A case against the all-or-nothing policy on mobile phones
take: Limit cell phones and teach mindfulness practices to keep your kids off their phones.
“I know it seems like it’s all or nothing, but it really does require a blend.” [Students need to understand] If you feel like you are becoming addicted, maybe looking at your phone at inappropriate times, use mindfulness strategies to: [yourself] Permission to put it aside.
“[Teachers can help by having] I have ‘phone-free time’ and allow my phone for the last 10 minutes of class. I’m not good at all-or-nothing. I always feel like there needs to be a balance.”
—Kara Fahy, STEAM and Project-Based Learning Coach, Fort Belvoir Senior Elementary School, Virginia
ISTE’s official position is…
take: Don’t ban them. Teach your students to use them.
“Generally, it’s not a good idea to ban tools that students are going to need in their future lives. If you have schools or districts that haven’t built a healthy culture around device use, they may need to pause and reset some things and reinforce healthy habits. So that may be one of the options some schools are choosing.”
“I want to be very clear that if we want young people to be successful in the future, we need to help them, in some way, learn how to use these tools effectively.”
—Richard Clutter, CEO, ISTE
