In January, Gov. Kim Reynolds introduced legislation to restrict the use of cell phones by students during their instructional time.
“Cell phones are not only a distraction but a deterrent to development in the classroom,” Gov. Reynolds said in a press release. “Seven in ten high school teachers say smartphones are a major problem and 80% of Gen Z students spend over six hours per day on their phone. Let’s return the classroom to a place for learning, growth, and connection to give students their best chance at success.”
Both chambers of the Iowa Legislature had passed the proposal, however the house version (passed Tuesday, March 18) differs from the senate’s, which was passed unanimously Tuesday, March 25. The differences will require the house to approve the amended version before sending the bill to the Governor for her signature.
Once signed into law school districts would have until July 1 to adopt policies in accordance with it.
The Solon Community School District (SCSD) Board of Education discussed the proposed law and potential policies during a Thursday, March 27 work session.
“There’s been a lot of data and a lot of problems with kids having cellphones in school,” said Board member Dan Coons, a Certified Physician Assistant and member of the district’s Wellness Committee. The committee – Coons, Board member Megan Laing, School Nurses Amy Link and Mattea Labs, Director of Nutrition Services Becky West, Health Educator Bryce Pierce, Physical Education teacher Lucas Stanton, At Risk/Counselor Rylee Wymer, parents Lauren O’Neil, Stacy Munson, and Jill Owens, and Associate Superintendent of Teaching and Learning Josh Lyons – met last week to discuss the legislation and implementation strategies.
“One of the discussion points we had was that if we’re going to make a change, it would be nice to change it before the end of this (school) year so everyone gets used to it,” said Coons. “Our discussion really centered around what’s best for our students.”
Coons shared data provided by the Iowa Association of School Boards (IASB) showing negative effects on students, socially and academically, by having access to their phones throughout the day. The Wellness Committee proposed enacting a cell phone ban, district wide, after the seniors’ final day, for the last two weeks or so of the school year. Doing so, said Laing, would provide an opportunity to discover any issues, and then the Board would have the summer to address them ahead of the new school year.
Vice President Adam Haluska pointed out the Board, in addition to no phones in the classrooms, would have to determine policy for the entire school day.
“I’d rather have it where they don’t enter the building with them, or they’re in a place where we don’t have them in the hallways, they’re not in study halls, because the districts that have it (policies in place currently) it’s essentially like there’s no rules. You can put it on the back of a door or they’ve got it in their book bag, but as soon as they get out in the halls…boom, the cellphone’s back up again. You go into the commons area and they’re all on them, nobody’s talking to each other, you’ve got that social media influence. If you don’t have it for the whole day, I feel like it’s a little more free.”
Haluska acknowledged it would likely be tough, at first, for students to go phone-free cold turkey.
“There’s probably a little apprehension, but that’s my opinion after seeing the data. We know it’s bad for you, why give you that outlet every 45 or 90 minutes when you’re right back on?”
Under the current policy, Superintendent Davis Eidahl explained, cellphones are banned for kindergarten through fifth grade while students in the middle school are allowed to use their phones before the first bell and then only between classes (but not during lunch or recess) and must be in their lockers. High school students must have their phones off and put away during instructional time.
Coons asked Student Representatives Jaya Farlinger and Madison Singbeil how they would be impacted by a total ban and what their feelings were on the matter.
“I don’t know how it’d be fully enforced,” said Farlinger, “Because even at the middle school (where she did an internship) it was really hard to get kids off their phones. They’d bring them in their pockets to class. They don’t want to be off their phone, and I think it would be ten times harder with high schoolers.” She added she thought she’d be OK without her phone during the day. “I’m not usually glued to my phone, but I know some people would struggle without their phone.”
“I’d be fine without my phone,” said Singbeil, “It’s just my mom is always in contact with me and sometimes she gets irritated when I don’t respond because sometimes she needs to know if I can go do something for her after school.” Singbeil asked how students who travel offsite, to Prairie HS for FFA in her case, or to Kirkwood, would be affected. “My mom’s rule is when I’m driving I have to have my phone with me so she knows that I’m OK.”
“Once you’re outside the school building, when you walk out of the building, you have access to your phone,” said Coons. “Its more during instructional time at Solon High School that I’m thinking about.”
Eidahl asked the students what they’re hearing in the hallways.
“Everyone’s against it,” said Singbeil.
“We’re not trying to be the bad guy,” said Haluska, “But its such a problem that the state has come in and the governor and everybody is all for making a change. With all the social media stuff you guys don’t ever get a break. Its really coming out of concern. I truly care about you guys. I’ve walked through the building at lunch and I see kids (heads down staring at their phones). Lunch used to be a great time, we’d all get together, we’d all talk, and I just don’t see that anymore.” Haluska said he sees it out and about too, including in restaurants where families aren’t even talking to each other, because they’re locked in on their phones.
Laing told Singbeil and Farlinger, “Ultimately a lot of kids will find it freeing,” while Coons said, “We know it’s good for you, we know it’s better for your learning and your mental health, we understand you’ll be upset.”
There was consensus to look at the policies other districts have adopted with an eye toward necessary communication throughout the day, from a parent to a student, for example, or in the case of rescheduling/postponement of activities such as athletic practice or an event due to weather. Concerns about medical exemptions, such as for Constant Glucose Monitoring (CGM), were brought up with consensus they would be allowed.
Board member Cassie Rochholz, joining by phone, said she’s in favor of banning phones from first bell to last bell.
“I want to give focus back to the kids and be able to have an experience that will create the kind of success that we are hoping for as a district. We owe it to our children to give them their academic focus back that they really have been deprived of since cellphones have been introduced into their hands. A lot of states have moved to a bell-to-bell restriction, and if they haven’t, they’re going to.”
For Rochholz, it’s about reducing distractions that interrupt the academic process.
“This is an addiction, in some ways,” said Coons. “The less they can be with it or communicate with it, I am for it. I would have it out of the building from the morning until the afternoon. Parents can call the desk, communications can be made. That’s where I land.”
Coons reminded the board of the July 1 deadline from the state to have a compliant policy in place.
“I would much rather have it sooner than later. This district’s been hawing around for two years. I feel that we need to make a decision.” Haluska noted they’ve been waiting on the state for guidance and a direction.
“But I agree now we’ve got to make a decision. It could be a 2-1/2-week test run.”
Coons agreed.
“Doing this early we get a brief window to then solve some problems before the fall as opposed to starting in the fall and trying to redo those things.”
The board will make an action item to set a policy at their April meeting with the policy to be in effect for the final weeks of the school year.
Singbeil suggested a “take it all” approach, i.e.: no phones in the building from bell-to-bell, saying it’s almost pointless if phones are allowed between classes or at lunch.
“Of course there’s going to be some blow back, because we’re teenagers,” said Singbeil.