Mansfield ISD cracks down on cell phone usage at school
MANSFIELD (CBSNewsTexas.com) - As more of young people's lives revolve around cell phones, getting them to pay attention to… well, anything… can be hard.
"It was the number thing our secondary school teachers really expressed a concern about – the distraction the cell phones were in the classroom," said Richardson ISD Tabitha Branum.
The district last year adopted a new cell phone free environment policy, requiring students keep their phones in their backpacks and either turned off or on silent for the entire school day, except in some cases during lunch.
"There was such a benefit to not having the phones. The teachers were so appreciative," Branum told school board members during a briefing this summer.
Teachers overwhelmingly reported being able to use more time on teaching and less on discipline.
"Ninety percent of our teachers said they got back instructional time. As much as ten minutes for every class period," said Branum.
Ninety-four percent of teachers surveyed said they support the new policy. So, did 80% of parents. Not surprisingly, only 33% of students liked it.
"I think it goes without saying our students… this policy is not our student's favorite policy," said Branum.
There was one campus, though, where teachers reported having even more success – Forest Meadow Junior High. There the district tried something different, introducing Yondr bags.
Students there were required to put their phones in the bags that stayed magnetically sealed until the end of the day.
Instead of confiscating nearly 50 cell phones a day, like other secondary schools, the campus saw just 21 violations the entire year.
Now four more campuses – Liberty Junior High, Apollo Junior High, Lake Highlands Junior High, and Lake Highlands High School – are adopting the same policy, expanding use of the bag to half the district's junior high schools and, for the first time, one of its high schools.
Superintendent Branum believes putting away phones during school can benefit students in a variety of ways.
"They appreciate when they have a chance to focus solely on learning, as well. And, that fear of missing out… 'Did I miss a Snapchat? Did I not see something on Instagram or TikTok? Well, I didn't miss it 'cause no one has their phone'," she said.
Parents, she says, can still keep in touch with their children by e-mail available on the Chrome Books every student carries. In the event of an emergency, she says, teachers also have a way to unseal Yondr bags.
Overall, though, she said, the policy is clear.
"This is who we are and what we do at Richardson ISD, so keep that phone away," she said.
