Western Academy, a private school for boys in grades three through eight, has announced that any personal electronic devices found on campus will be destroyed. In a letter to parents, Headmaster Jason Hebert explained the consequences: the phone will be destroyed, the student may be suspended, and a second offense could lead to expulsion. Hebert said, "They are children, you are adults. This is your responsibility," according to KHOU.
After repeated violations of the previous no-phone policy, the school said no student needs a phone on campus and asked parents to ensure their sons leave devices at home. Headmaster Hebert said, "Smartphones are causing significant, unimagined damage to the Western Academy students who have them as well as the sons of those parents who have chosen not to give phones to their sons." The policy followed a report of a student seeing graphic content on a phone at a school event, leading Hebert to say, "That's it. We're done," as reported by Chron. The school has a metal grinder to destroy phones on campus.
Parents have mostly accepted the new policy, even if it means not giving their sons a smartphone. Hebert told parents, "Your son should not have a smartphone. He is too young. It doesn’t matter how mature he seems," saying smartphones affect boys’ understanding of communication and maturity, as mentioned by KHOU. The policy follows Texas House Bill 1481, which requires public schools to limit personal devices during class, either by banning them on campus or providing secure storage.
