Governor visits Spokane to detail plan for phone-free schools

SPOKANE, Wash. — Governor Bob Ferguson spoke about one of his top priorities for the next legislative session at Lewis & Clark High School today.

“You don’t need a study to show it, although studies do show it, that [phones] are extremely distracting,” Ferguson said.

Ferguson wants the legislature to ban cell phones in K-12 public schools statewide.

“Studies show students spend a quarter of their school day on their phones,” Ferguson said. “This is something we can do at no cost that’ll improve schools around our state.”

The governor reiterated his “away for the day” ban that would prohibit students from accessing their cell phones from the first bell to the last bell during school hours. Students would not be allowed to keep their phones in their backpack. There’d also be a grace period for the first year of its implementation, meaning students would not get suspended for breaking these rules.

High school students in Spokane are currently required to put their phones away during instruction time. Ivan Corley, principal at Lewis & Clark, says more students are engaging with each other and their teachers because of it, and kids are more present and focused.

This is the third year of Spokane Public Schools policy, that isn’t as strict as what the governor is proposing.

“I notice more people talking and interacting with people around them,” said Elijah Wissing, a student at Lewis & Clark High School. “It can make school a much more connected and meaningful place.”

Grace Parker, Lewis & Clark HS Senior and ASB President said “students benefit when we put our phones away and focus in the classroom….instead of turning to our phone’s whenever there’s a free moment.”

“That second year, I could see and feel the difference. The interactions kids are having are much better,” said Gabe Medrano, a social studies teacher at Lewis & Clark.

Parents have questioned the Governor’s plan, saying they’d want their kids to have their phones in case of emergency. Ferguson says people should trust schools and the systems they have in place to communicate with parents if there’s an emergency or situation on campus. Superintendent Dr. Adam Swinyard also noted that schools had emergency communication systems in place long before cell phones were invented.