COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho — The Coeur d’Alene School District recently adopted a new cellphone ban at all of its schools.
Schools began implementing the new ban last week. The ban means student cellphones must be turned off the entire school day. Cellphones must be left in students’ locker or backpack at all times, including passing period and lunch.
The district says the new procedure aligns with Governor Brad Little’s ‘Phone Free Learning Act,’ which encourages districts across the state to develop and implement a policy around managing cellphones in the classroom.
“Without your phone now, you can have some face-to-face interactions with your peers,” said Assistant Principal Tara Nelson. “It allows them to kind of see the bigger world around them and not have their head down on social media or whatever it might be.”
This new procedure, however, has stirred quite a response online.
Coeur d’Alene High School student Ryan Drappo started an online petition last week. As of February 6, it has already garnered over 1,700 signatures.
Drappo writes that he understands why phones aren’t allowed in the classrooms but says the ban is “going against modern innovation with media and socialization. Many students during passing periods and lunch use their phones to bond with other and create friendships.”
Several parents have also chimed in with concerns, one parent saying “I would like to be able to get in touch with my child in the event of an emergency. It is not the school’s place to tell my kids they can’t have their phones at lunch break.”
Nelson said in the case of an emergency, students would be allowed to use their phones and parents can always call the school if they need to contact their student during the day.
She said staff and teachers are also leading by example. They are all trying to stay off their phones during the school day as well.
As for the high school’s response to Drappo’s online petition, Nelson said, “I think it opens up a conversation and that’s important to them,” Nelson said. “It allows for these types of things to happen. We’re proud of our students for using that as an avenue to open up communication.”
The School Board is expected to discuss this petition as well as the policy at their board meeting on Monday, February 10.
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