Every morning, students at Martin Luther King Middle School in Richmond, Virginia, begin their day with a lesson in detention: handing back their phones.
“I don’t worry about what notifications I get, who’s texting me or what’s happening on social media,” said eighth-grader Jazmine Anderson.
Last year, the school began testing a program that involved locking cellphones in special pouches made by the company Yondr and storing them in a supervised backpack. When the school first started using the locked pouches, it let students keep them. But it didn’t really work, said Jasmine Armistead, an eighth-grade English teacher.
“They were always playing with the cover, trying to open it, trying to force it, because again, they’re teenagers,” Armistead said.
According to a 2023 Pew Research Center survey, nearly all American teens (95%) have access to a smartphone.
A 2023 Common Sense Media report found that about 1 in 5 teens surveyed receive 500 or more notifications per day, many of which occur during school hours. About 97% of survey participants used their phones for a median of 43 minutes during school hours, which is about the length of a class period.
Principal Annette Dabney says the only solution is to simply take phones out of the hands of her 500 students.
“Engagement is up. Our test scores are up, which is fantastic. Classroom disruptions are down. Teachers are able to teach,” Dabney said.
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin is the latest state official to issue an executive order on cell phones in schools. He requires districts to limit or ban cell phones by January 1, and many have already implemented pilot programs. In total, 12 states now ban or encourage bans on cell phones in the classroom.
“I think it’s been a real call to all of us. Let’s get to work and work for our kids,” Youngkin said.
Asked if he ever texted his kids when they were in high school, Youngkin said, “I’m sure we did, and I think it addresses some of the concerns that parents have. I mean, the basic concern that the pick-up time or the doctor’s appointment has changed. Those are very practical concerns that I think have to be addressed.”
At Huguenot High School, across town, the approach is different and less restrictive. Students turn in their phones during class, but can use them between classes and at lunch.
“I feel a lot better because at least I can see my phone and if I really need it I can just go and get it,” Tiffany Taylor said.
Last year, the school tried Yondr packets but ran into problems. They switched to the less restrictive plan with help from students.
“I didn’t really like it, because I didn’t feel safer without my phone. Because normally when I have my phone at school, it’s for emergencies,” Taylor said.
Another student, Ashanti Wallace, says not having her phone makes a difference.
“It’s almost refreshing. Not having to worry about what messages your friends might send you, and being able to focus on the teacher and what he’s teaching,” Wallace said.
Principal Michael Massa said he found that confiscating phones throughout the school day was something that “deregulated” students.
“I’m not just going to talk about students, but also adults,” Massa said.
Asked about potential criticism that the rules are too lenient on students, Massa said: “I think saying you’re too lenient or too harsh on something is not really helpful in education. What we are is we care. And we lead with love in our school, and we want to make sure first and foremost that our students are prepared and equipped to learn.”
It’s an approach that everyone learns to live with.
Me Olivier
