LBHS Principal Elyse Darwood heard pros and cons from parents, a student, and teachers about cell phone use at the high school level at a meeting at the LBHS library on March 19. No decisions were made at the meeting.
“This is a slow process and it has to be because there are so many things to consider. The more I learn, the more I know, the more I have to consider,” said Darwood.
Attendees recognized the need for students to communicate with coaches, bosses and parents, but also heard concerns about cell phones being distracting and isolating.
Seventeen year old senior Kyler Mitchell said he wished there was more interaction among students, but also warned some students may forego attending school if they couldn’t use their cell phones during school hours.
“That some students would opt not to attend school, I have big concerns about what that means about students’ experiences at school,” said Darwood.
Mitchell said some teachers let students use cell phones while others don’t, so the current policy isn’t consistent.
Assistant Principal Michael Wilbur agreed, saying intervention at the junior high level is clear and immediate, while in high school, it is dependent on the teacher.
“Good boundaries are clear boundaries and currently, there is a lack of clarity,” said Wilbur.
One parent defended cell phone use, saying students used them to take pictures of the white board if they couldn’t write notes quickly enough. Another parent asked LBHS for help, saying the overuse of technology was causing arguments with her middle school daughter.
“I’m overwhelmed. I’m tired of the arguing,” she said. “I’m exhausted.”
Darwood said conversations about cell phone use are family decisions. “There is absolutely a place for technology not only as a tool but for instruction,” she said.
Darwood questioned whether the use of cell phone apps created an equitable environment for all students, some of whom may not be able to afford cell phones. She also said she felt a responsibility for the misuse of cell phones on school grounds, including students using teenage dating apps and being exposed to predatory behavior by adults. Darwood said she is not considering providing cell phones to every student, but possibly tablets with protective software.
Mitchell said he needed a cell phone to talk with college coaches during school hours. He said he has stepped out of class to connect with college coaches. Darwood gave him a thumbs up, saying, “That’s how adults handle business.”
Several teachers at the meeting recalled the heyday of the first year post-COVID, when students voluntarily gave up their phones to connect with the people around them.
“The first year of teaching was the easiest,” said LBHS Art and Design teacher Erik Brooks.
Now, he said, phones have become a means to isolate.
“I see a lot of them in little holes because that place is their best friend,” said Brooks. “Social isolation is hard to watch sometimes.”