After years of power struggles between teachers and the enchantment of apps like TikTok and Snapchat, students find themselves engaged in more math problems and breaking the algorithmic curse.
In recent years, phones have caused frequent disruptions in class. Teachers often repeated the same four words, “Get off your phone,” and it was probably annoying for students to constantly hear that. But it was equally as annoying for teachers’ lessons to be discarded for a cellular device. The distraction hasn’t gone unnoticed, and it’s not just at Platte County. Fourteen states have adopted a state-wide phone ban policy that is to be administered to all government-funded schools. However, there are some states, like Missouri, that have a “blanket” ban and have let schools determine their own policy.
Senate Bill 68 requires all governm
ent-funded schools to go phone-free. The Platte County school district worked with the Missouri School Boards’ Association (MSBA) to draft a local policy (Board Policy JFCD) that follows the law but also fits the district’s needs. One of the individuals to help draft JFCD was Deputy Superintendent Dr. Drew White. He helped create a one-page guide that explains the consequences in simple, understandable terms.
“The process is very similar across the district, but the specific consequences are slightly adjusted to be age-appropriate for elementary, middle, and high school students,” White said via email.
Students have multiple chances before they actually have to give up their phones in the office. Administrative Assistant Peggy Davis handles this process.
“You fill out a form with the box number that your phone is going into and the condition it’s in,” Davis said. “Then you sign it, and if your parents come pick [your phone] up, there’s a place for them to sign too.”
According to a survey sent to staff by Director of Communications Laura Hulett, the overall response towards the ban has been overwhelmingly positive among teachers. Among the halls, there have been mixed opinions throughout the student body, but within the office, it has been reported to be well-received.
The ban is still a large adjustment for both students and teachers to make, but as the year progresses, there is hope that it will become a smoother adjustment.