Daily Herald opinion: A thoughtful, measured approach is the right way to discuss cellphone bans in schools
Parents, this is your heads up — the conversation surrounding cellphones in classrooms is probably coming to a school near you.
If you read reporter Alicia Fabbre’s article Sunday on suburban school districts establishing cellphone bans this year or just starting to discuss it, you know the issue is gaining steam.
Take St. Charles Community Unit District 303, for example. Superintendent Paul Gordon outlined in his recent Daily Herald op-ed how the district’s Strategic Plan leans into examining the use of cellphones and smartwatches in the classroom.
Gordon wants to start a conversation. He wants feedback from parents and teachers. He’s inviting the community to join a Superintendent Community Advisory Committee, focusing on District 303 possibly moving toward phone-free classrooms in 2025.
We like this plan. We like that Gordon is being upfront about where the district is headed. We like that it gives students time to adjust to being disconnected during the school day because, as many parents know, when you take screens away from your kids, there is an instant reaction — irritability, mood swings, withdrawal, emotions. So many emotions. Much like you’d see in any addict. And let’s face it — many kids are addicted to screens.
Inviting community response as Gordon is doing and asking for feedback is an effective approach. Instead of changing the rules unilaterally, he’s slowly introducing the idea that these distractions could be removed from classrooms. We hope that helps students and parents see the benefits and get on board.
Most likely, educators are fully on board.
About 72% of high school teachers say that students being distracted by cellphones is a major problem in their classroom, according to a 2023 Pew Research Center survey.
Enforcing a policy like this could be a challenge and raises concerns. District 303 plans to have students store phones during class time, according to Gordon.
“This would mean that all District 303 students would store their phones, smartwatches and any other devices that can connect to social media and send or receive texts in phone caddies (safe & secure places to store phones) during each class period,” he said.
So in middle and high schools, as students move from classroom to classroom, they will deposit and pick up their devices from these caddies. This takes time. And it asks teachers to police something that may lead to disruption and conflict. Logistically, it could be a nightmare.
We hope Dist. 303’s advisory committee discusses these challenges and finds possible solutions before any ban is implemented.
And students, we hope you stay focused, avoid distractions and embrace change as your school gradually navigates this issue. Cell phones or not, we wish you a successful year ahead - but we think the chances of success are better with “not.”