Sequoia school district to make final decision on banning cellphones: Trustees set to pursue ban for instructional time next school year, may revisit in 6 months

At the board’s meeting June 10, there was a greater inclination to go the length and enforce a “bell-to-bell” ban on cellphones than before, but trustees ultimately agreed to follow staff recommendation for the less-strict alternative with the understanding that the matter would be reconsidered in approximately six months. 

The district’s recommendation was to approve a cellphone ban during instructional time only, Associate Superintendent Bonnie Hansen said. 

“There is certainly much research to show that students and adults are spending far too much time on technology,” Hansen said. “We are in agreement that students need a break from their cellphones for most of the day when they are at school.” 

Students should be able to have discretion in how they spend their free time during breaks, lunches and passing periods, though, Hansen said. 

Trustees Rich Ginn and Maria Cruz both reiterated their support for a ban during instructional time only. 

Cruz said the details of a bell-to-bell ban have yet to be analyzed and too many questions remain on what exceptions and accommodations there would be; Ginn said students need to learn how to responsibly use technology.  

“Taking devices away for the entire school day does not teach students how to manage them,” Ginn said. “The judgment that matters most, knowing when to use a tool and when to put the tool away, cannot be learned if the tool is simply removed.” 

Trustee Mary Beth Thompson disagreed with this mentality. 

“The idea that ‘students need to be able to self-regulate’ — you have to teach students how to self regulate,” Thompson said. 

Trustee Sathvik Nori shared at a previous board meeting his opposition of a bell-to-bell ban, believing similarly to Ginn that students should gain the skills to regulate themselves as they prepare to enter adulthood. However, his view has since changed. 

“I have talked to a lot of parents throughout the district who do seem to believe that bell-to-bell is the best decision to go with,” Nori said. “At the end of the day … I represent the interests of what my constituents want.” 

However, Nori added that he would not support a ban on personal laptops — but Superintendent Crystal Leach said a bell-to-bell ban would include laptops, and would mean students must use a district-issued Chromebook. 

Despite a stronger inclination toward a bell-to-bell ban from trustees than before, the board agreed that establishing and implementing the stricter policy would be difficult within the constrained time frame. 

Trustees ultimately agreed to move forward with staff’s recommendation of an instruction-time ban, given that further studies and surveys will be conducted in September and should the district want to progress to a bell-to-bell ban again, it could revisit the matter in December. 

The vote will be put on the consent agenda at the board’s upcoming meeting, which typically is reserved for routine stamps of approval and minimal discussion — though the item could be pulled by a trustee.