ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Friday was the deadline for school districts across New York State to have plans in place as to how they will restrict the use of students’ personal phones, tablets and laptops.
In most local districts students are either going to have to put their devices into pouches that close and lock or the devices will have to go in student lockers or cubbies where they will stay for the entire day.
The devices banned in the classroom include smartphones, smartwatches, personal earbuds and headphones, tablets, personal laptops and gaming devices.
While exceptions will be made, most districts say they will only be considered for students with IEPs/504 plans, those who require medical monitoring or translation services, students with family care-giving needs (on a case-by-case basis) and for emergencies.
“I think it would be great to not have cell phones in school, I mean we grew up without cell phones if there is an emergency, we went to the main office and we called and talked to our parents that way. I just don’t think that they need to be disruptive with having people texting and things like that while they’re in school,” says Juliann McManus, a mother of two.
“If it were used to communicate with one another than for sure, but it’s not anymore. So I’m kind-of iffy about it,” says Jeff Fox-Kline, a father.
The Greece Central School District went cell phone free well before the state mandate. This will be the third year its students will put their cell phones in locked pouches.
Jennifer Lewke (News10NBC): “Do you find that kids find ways around it?”
Jeremy Smalline, Superintendent, Greece Central School District: “Of course, they’re kids and some of them are brilliant.”
Jennifer Lewke: “How do you handle kids who don’t play by the rules?”
Jeremy Smalline: “They have the opportunity to simply give the phone to the teacher, you can get your phone back at the end of the day. Hopefully you learn from that and can move forward, if it continues then it goes to the next level where it’s taken and we’re asking parents to come and pick up the phone.”
Jennifer Lewke: “Do you have a lot of families who asked for medical exemptions, for illnesses like anxiety?”
Jeremy Smalline: “We have some students who would be feeling anxious but we don’t want them alone in the bathroom dealing with that anxiety, we have a tremendous amount of mental health support so, if that is an accommodation that is valid, we work through it with the parents and sometimes a medical provider, we have a safe space with a trusted adult where that child can go. Hopefully, we can manage that but if it’s necessary we allow them to make a call from a designated location.”
Jennifer Lewke: “What were the schools like before this change and how has that changed?”
Jeremy Smalline: “What you saw a lot was just students staring at a phone so, in our minds, it was a break from the pressures that you see on a phone, social media, all that comes with that and the opportunity that comes with that for them to understand that this is a time that you’re here to learn, and you’re here to socialize and build friendships.”
Jennifer Lewke: “Do you find that they are talking with each other more, that they’re more engaged in their work on the classroom.”
Jeremy Smalline: “Yes, 100% there is a change that you see in lunch rooms, in study halls and that teachers have seen in their classrooms.”
While school districts had to have their plan in place by Friday, many of them say they are still taking parent and student feedback and could tweak the policies as the school year goes on.
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