PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — It’s hard to imagine any kid nowadays without a cell phone in their hands.
“My older kids do have a cell phone,” said Christie Bruner. “My fourth grader, who thinks she’s a teenager, wishes she had a cell phone.”
Bruner has two kids in Pinellas County Schools. She recently filled out a survey in which the district asked for feedback regarding cell phone use by students in school.
“I don’t think there should be any cell phones, whether you’re in fourth grade or whether you’re in 12th grade, knowing that you’re not going to get the cell phone away from the child maybe, you don’t have to confiscate it, but it can’t be out while they’re trying to learn,” said Bruner.
District staff presented recommendations to the school board to amend the wireless device cell phone policy.
Dr. Dywayne Hinds, the Area 3 Superintendent of Schools in Pinellas County Schools, said the policy they’re recommending allows for more consistency across grade levels.
"The recommendation is that students in elementary school would have their cell phones off during the entire school day and out of sight, and the only time that a student in elementary school can use their device is after school if they are coordinating a ride home," said Hinds.
Hinds said that in middle school, the recommendation is that students use their devices only before and after school.
“In our high schools, our high school students are permitted to use their devices before school, after school, during lunchtime, and during passing time,” said Hinds. “In addition to that, one of the things that is of significant difference for our middle and high school students in our policy that we proposed is that headsets would not be allowed to be used outside of the authorized uses periods.”
It’s something school districts have been trying to find balance with.
Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning said he recently had the chance to engage with the bright minds of Angeline Academy of Innovation, saying their students presented a compelling case for allowing cell phones within school premises.
“As stewards of education, our commitment remains to provide our students with the best possible learning environment, free from unnecessary distractions. In the coming months, we will collaborate with our dedicated staff to chart a path that aligns with our mission,” Browning said in a statement. “This collaborative effort will ensure we arrive at a solution that benefits our students, enhances their educational experience, and fosters responsible use of technology."
Pinellas County School Board Chair Laura Hine thinks the impact of technology on us is the issue of our time.
“When it comes to the high school portion of the policy, I am okay with where we landed on it, as long as it includes three things. The first is quick, clear, consistent consequences that can be enacted by our administrators and our teachers, that address both usage and content,” said Hine.
Hine also wants to challenge student leaders to develop ways to encourage social interaction and provide information.
“We can have assemblies, we can have discussions,” said Hine. “We can determine what are the best practices around these things that aren’t going anywhere.”
The first reading by the school board will be on April 23, followed by a second reading in June.
