On Wednesday Governor Ned Lamont and CT Education Commissioner Charlene Russell-Tucker urged local school districts across Connecticut to consider implementing a set of recommendations regarding the use of personal technology, such as smartphones and similar devices, in K-12 public schools.
The recommendations are contained in a Position Statement and Policy Guidelines.The guidance was adopted on Wednesday by the Connecticut State Board of Education.
Created at the direction of Governor Lamont by the State Dept of Education, the document gives districts guidance when drafting and implementing policies to restrict access to smartphones, personal devices and social media during the school day.
Here in Greenwich, the district already announced new rules for student cell phone use in Greenwich Public Schools, reflecting a collaboration with administrative teams across all 15 schools in town. The superintendent has said that the Board of Education, which currently has 7 members due to a resignation, will have an opportunity to tweak the rules in the fall. At GHS the "Away All Day" rule would prohibit cell phone use, even during open blocks, lunch, and in restrooms, as well as during instructional time unless approved by the teacher or supervising adult. There would be exceptions: Appropriate use may be for instructional purposes, such as taking a picture of notes on the board, using instructional apps like decibel meters, lasers, and other useful tools, or a practical use for video recording an experiment, or creating a class project. Other appropriate uses include showing digital ID’s for entry to the building, for an administrator or staff to check an active schedule, to purchase lunch, or to check out items from the Media Center. GHS will introduce an implementation plan beginning in September 2024, with full implementation beginning the week after the December recess. Consequences for infractions will begin in January. There has already been some push back. Comments on new rules on the Greenwich Free Press Facebook page mostly anticipated challenges to enforcing the ban throughout the GHS campus. There were numerous comments in support as well. "Happy to see the district is at least looking to curb phone use in school. Too many kids walk around like zombies staring down at their phones, maybe this will help them look up and actually figure out how to communicate with one another!," one commenter wrote. "Good. One step closer to banning them in school. There’s no reason to have a phone during school. I went to GHS & I survived it without a cell phone. I promise kids these days can do it too," another person wrote. "...you can’t just go cold turkey… Telling the kids it’s zero tolerance is going to make them create loopholes. If the message was ‘absolutely not during class and any educational time’, that is perfectly valid, but lunch? Open periods?" someone asked. [caption id="attachment_220692" align="alignnone" width="1870"]
Thomas Pereira, the Dean of Student Life at GHS, continued a tradition this week! The house that wins the school's food collection competition gets the honor. November, 2021[/caption] An online Change.org petition initiated by students seeking to reverse the cell phone ban at Greenwich High School has a goal of 1,000 signatures. As of Wednesday the petition had reached 926 signatures. "This new policy would directly go against the idea of freedom with responsibility," the petition creators wrote, referring to the school's motto. Reasons for signing, at the bottom of the petition, touched on cell phone use during lockdowns, in bathrooms, and during moments considered free time. One commenter wrote, "There are far bigger issues to address than cell phone use. Let’s address the vaping in school." Another wrote, "They removed flex and now they're putting this rule? Holy, let the students vote," a reference to the BOE's vote in May to approve a recommendation from GHS principal Ralph Mayo to eliminate the half hour "flex block" at the end of the day since many students were not making good use of the time, and instead redistribute a few minutes to each block. Another commenter wrote, "This should not have been a sudden unilateral decision. Should have gotten public comments and BOE vote. Also too restrictive by including lunch and bathroom times." [caption id="attachment_23184" align="alignnone" width="894"]
Students outside Greenwich High School. File photo. 2014[/caption]
As for the State guidance, the State Board of Education voted unanimously in favor of the Education Department's proposal.
Governor Lamont said in a release that the enactment of stronger policies was necessary because the increasing use of smartphones in schools causing serious distractions among students and having negative impacts on their education and mental health.
He emphasized that the guidance was a model framework, and each district would enact their own policies.
“All too often, our young people find themselves too distracted by their smartphones and disconnected from the reality of what is happening around them, including while in their classrooms, and it’s having negative impacts on their learning and mental well-being,” Governor Lamont said.
Commissioner Russell-Tucker said in the release, “By removing the distraction caused by smartphone use during the school day and fostering a healthy balance with the positive use of technology, we create schools and classrooms that maximize peer-to-peer and student-to-educator interaction, develop social skills in interpersonal communication, and positively impact academic growth and success, all while supporting student mental health."
Specific recommendations include appropriate roles and responsibilities for:
- Local and regional boards of education and administrators in policy development;
- School leaders and educators in ensuring consistent policy implementation and support for strengthening students’ interpersonal skills;
- Families and students in supporting and complying with the district policy and supporting students’ maintaining a healthy balance with technology; and
- Higher education institutions and the Connecticut State Department of Education in preparing and supporting educators, school leaders, administrators, and local and regional boards of education.
“The guidance adopted by the Connecticut State Board of Education takes a critical step toward creating learning environments that foster both academic excellence and well-being,” said Erin Benham, acting chair of the Connecticut State Board of Education.
Benham added, “Technology, when used purposefully, can enhance learning and connection, but we must also protect our students from the potential negative impacts of excessive and unrestricted use."
Patrice McCarthy, executive director and general counsel of the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education (CABE), said, “CABE has appreciated the opportunity to collaborate with the Connecticut State Department of Education in developing this policy guidance. We look forward to supporting school boards as they address this important issue through local policy development.”
See also: Greenwich Schools Announces Cell Phone Policy Aug 15, 2024