Richmond school communities weigh in on incoming cell phone ban: 'It doesn't work in a lot of parents' favor'

RICHMOND, Va. -- At Monday night's meeting, the Richmond School Board will receive an update from staff outlining the school system's cellphone-free policy.

The presentation indicates that Richmond Public Schools' (RPS) cellphone policy will be broadly divided into two categories: pre-K through elementary school and middle-through high school.

Pre-K/Elementary Levels

Phones would be prohibited from bell-to-bell, and at school-sponsored events, any child with a phone would have to have it turned off and stored out of sight.

Middle and High School Levels

Phones are off and stored during the school day, but can be used at the end of the day and after-hour school events if they don't disrupt that activity.

The rules would allow students to use phones while on a school bus, but they'd have to use headphones and be banned from filming other students.

Exceptions to these rules include students with medical, learning, or language needs.

The need for these rules stems from an Executive Order over the summer from Governor Glenn Youngkin, who said it was necessary to improve focus in the classroom and remove the distractions and dangers posed by social media.

The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) released its final guidance in mid-September that school divisions have to meet or exceed by January 1, 2025.

"We're very excited about this and I think it's going to have a great positive impact," Youngkin said.

RPS has held three listening sessions on the topic since the state guidelines were released.

Over 2,200 people, mostly students, responded to a RPS survey where they answered questions like:

• Which grade levels should have access to cell phones
• When or where they should be allowed to use them
• Whether students may suffer withdrawal symptoms from not having their phones

Those survey results and over 65 pages of written comments from teachers, students, parents, and others were to be presented at Monday's meeting.

Among them, one teacher supported the idea saying, "Students are not paying attention in class. Their phones are constantly in their hands. Either they are texting or listening to music. It is a constant battle trying to keep them focused."

"Having a district policy banning phones will allow teachers to teach again. It will take the burden of enforcement out of the hands of individuals. It is crazy that we are letting this happen when all we need to do is enforce the rules. Parents don't have the right to ruin the education of other people's children just out of their own narrow convenience. We should have done this 10 years ago. It is not too late," wrote another.

While some student's comments were opposed to restrictions entirely, one student wrote "I feel that students shouldn't have their phones out when teachers are teaching but in free time they should as long as they aren't bothering anyone".

Meanwhile, a common comment seen from parents was about emergencies: "School is always on lock and learn or something going on need to be able to communicate with the child doing those times it's scary" and "I strongly believe students should have *access* to phones during the school day, not that they should have unlimited use of phones. With school shootings and violence being so common, students should be able to reach their families in an emergency. I would be even more terrified to send my child to school without a way for them to reach me. Schools are not safe spaces."

On that end, the recommendations say for school-wide emergencies, RPS has procedures in place to notify parents including automated phone calls/texts, emails, and updates online.

Meanwhile, for one-to-one communications, it says parents should call the main office, while students can use phones to reach their parents.

As for penalties for violating the policy, the recommendations say they'll take a tiered approach with a priority on corrective action -- but repeated misuse could result in a suspension or other disciplinary action.

The presentation said RPS expects to adopt the cellphone policies before winter break.

Under the executive order, schools are required to have their policies implemented by January 1, 2025.

VDOE provided CBS 6 with a breakdown of which school districts in Central Virginia are already in compliance:

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