To improve educational outcomes and reduce distractions, two Arizona school districts have introduced measures that limit student interaction with cell phones during school hours. The Bullhead City School District has gone as far as to secure phones in locks and ban backpacks for many grade levels, an unprecedented step in the state's fight against in-class distractions.
According to a FOX 10 Phoenix report, Bullhead City School District's Superintendent Dr. Carolyn Stewart said that after initiating a complete cellphone ban at Fox Creek Junior High, "disciplinary issues dropped significantly." This bold move seems to echo the sentiment that cell phones, while essential outside the confines of school walls, are a hindrance to the learning process within them.
Similarly, the Apache Junction Unified School District has enforced a new policy prohibiting the use of any wireless communication devices during class time. This decision came after the district's Governing Board passed the motion in a 4-1 vote. Highlighting the requirement, Superintendent Robert Pappalardo emphasized, "If we're serious about students achieving in the classroom, we need to limit the distraction and cell phones are a distraction," in a statement obtained by 12 News.
Under the new guidelines, students at Apache Junction Unified School District are expected to turn off their phones and keep them out of sight from the first bell to the last. Should they need to make a call, they are directed to use phones available at the school's main office or within a classroom. The policy allows for students to still keep a turned-off phone with them, likely in response to parent and student concerns about accessibility in emergencies. Students and their parents are required to sign an agreement reflecting these terms in demonstration of their understanding and compliance with the new rules.
