Champlain Valley School District considers a future without cell phones

This story by Jason Starr was first published in the Williston Observer on August 15.

Do phones and schools go together?

Champlain Valley School District officials may be leaning toward “no” on this question.

Under the leadership of interim Superintendent Adam Bunting, the district will convene a committee this school year to study the so-called “cell phone free schools movement.” The committee, which is made up of teachers, parents, students and administrators, will make recommendations to the school board on what the district's cell phone policy for students should look like.

The district currently has no overarching policy, leaving it up to school principals to set standards. Williston Central School has a “day trip” standard that allows students to bring their phones to school, but requires them to be kept in bags or a school-provided locked location during the school day.

“In order to maintain our learning environment, electronic games, mobile phones, airpods, smart watches, etc. are not allowed to be carried or used during the school day,” says the school’s handbook for grades 3 to 8.

As children get older in high school, the policy becomes more relaxed. CVU asks students not to use their phones during class, but allows phone use in the cafeteria and library when students have unscheduled classes.

“We have not yet tried to restrict cell phone use during this time,” Bunting said. “We want to learn more. The research is pretty clear about the impact of cell phone use and social media on students' mental health, and beyond that, the impact of distraction on our learners. It's important that our learners are present.”

He said students can be thrown off track by a disturbing text message or social media message during the school day and have difficulty refocusing on their studies.

Most teachers would welcome stricter regulations on cell phone use, according to Rep. Erin Brady (D-Chittenden), vice chair of the House Education Committee, who teaches at Colchester High School.

“It's difficult in high school,” she said. “It has to be put away during class time unless a teacher has given permission. Sometimes the kids use it for quick research or they film something. In my experience, everyone has them and everyone checks them pretty regularly.”

Brady said the current “classroom absence” policy is “very difficult to enforce.”

“If they're physically with the students, you're going to have constant problems with them,” Brady said. “They've got to be housed somewhere somehow… I think the only way it's really going to work is if it's all or nothing and they're not physically in the classroom.”

Two high schools in Vermont – Harwood Union and Thetford Academy – have announced a cellphone-free policy for this school year. They give each student a lockable bag to put their internet-enabled devices in as they enter the school. The bags automatically remain locked until the student leaves the building.

“Students must bring their bag to and from school each day and are responsible for their bag at all times,” Harwood school administrators explained to parents in a letter about the policy in July.

“Learning and social behavior improve dramatically when students fully engage with their teachers and classmates,” the letter continues.

Earlier this year, the Senate Education Committee passed a bill that would set statewide standards for phone-free schools. The House Education Committee has not yet taken up the bill. Brady would welcome a solution at the state level, but said, “The biggest question is how to do it right without imposing costs on schools.”

To strike a balance between cell phone use and learning, CVU has launched a “Be Present” campaign that encourages students to value in-person interactions and stay present in academic spaces. Bunting said school leaders will double down on those efforts this school year.

“If we remain vigilant and make a concerted effort, we can make real progress,” he said.

The idea of ​​banning cell phones from schools is strongly supported by Angela Arsenault, a Champlain Valley School Board member who represents Williston and also sits in the legislature. Arsenault is active in the Vermont branch of the Phone Free Schools Movement, a national nonprofit organization.

In June, she brought up the issue at a meeting of the Champlain Valley School Board's policy committee. The committee discussion prompted Bunting to convene the telepolicy committee. The committee's report and recommendations are expected mid-school year, Bunting said.

The topic will also be discussed at a school board meeting in September.

“We are not rushing to issue a policy,” Bunting said. “Social media and cell phone use and the harmful effects are really a community issue and we need to work with our parents and students to proceed wisely.”