Carlsbad school district looking to curb student cell phone use
CARLSBAD, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) — The Carlsbad Unified School District is taking a firm stance on cellphone usage during class time, aiming for a consistent policy to address what teachers claim has become a pervasive issue among students.
During a board meeting Wednesday night, district officials emphasized the need for a policy that doesn’t necessarily entail a complete ban but mandates the storage of all cellphones during instructional hours. According to teachers, this issue affects a significant majority, with 67 percent citing problems associated with cellphone use in classrooms.
Parent volunteer Scott Davison echoed these sentiments, saying “I volunteered in a classroom last month and the policy was all over the places. So the kids had their phones they were playing with their phones.”
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Surprisingly, a survey of students revealed that 89 percent see no issue with the proposed policy. When asked about the common refrain to “put the phones away,” one student responded, “I do, depends on the day depends on the student, but it’s definitely a phrase that we hear.”
While acknowledging that allowing cellphone use among students isn’t flawless, Carly Jones, the student representative for the district, highlighted the importance of maintaining access to phones for safety and emergencies.
“They are not going anywhere, so we have to learn self-control and how to live with our cellphones,” said Jones, a senior at Carlsbad High School.
Under the new policy, all students will be permitted to have phones on their person. However, in elementary and middle schools, phones cannot be used during school hours. In high school, cellphone usage will be restricted during classroom time.
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