Phone use in schools

San Mateo Union High School District Board of Trustees bans cellphones, restricting access to devices during the entire school day, whereas the Sequoia Union High School District limits cellphone use during class. Phones are to be off or silenced or stored during class periods.

While both policies comply with California’s statewide legislation, only San Mateo’s policy makes a differences in addressing the emerging research that prolonged use of smartphones has been associated with decreased face-to-face interaction.

“Bell-to-bell” phone-free school day reduces phone addiction as this lowers daily screen time during school hours and reduces compulsive checking behavior.

The policy of “limiting usage during class” allows frequent checking at lunch and notification loops between periods. This reduces academic distraction, but does not strongly reduce habitual phone checking.

How is it policy that students not use smartphones during class?

As a high school teacher it was a given that phones would not be out during class time. Yet when the bell rang, students took out their phones — walking in the hallways, going up and down stairs, in the dining room, locker room, any space where class was not going on.

Succinctly put, “limiting usage during class” is not a policy; it is a given that in a managed and engaged class, students are not texting or checking messages.

Peggy Brady

Foster City