When it comes to phone usage at school, students tell their teachers that they forget their phones at home, that they need it to text their parents, or they simply put a burner cell phone in a phone jail. Administrators across the country have taken notice of this and decided that it is time to make some changes.
In September 2024, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed the Phone-Free Schools Act that will take effect starting in the 2025-2026 school year. The state requires for all policies to be in effect by June 2026, but changes for San Ramon Valley Unified School District (SRVUSD) will start this fall.
Dr. Kevin Ahern, principal, said: “[Monte Vista administrators and teachers] need to think about what responsible use looks like. A complete ban is not an answer.”
Dr. Ahern expressed that he’s “been in enough classrooms to see that there is a level of cell phone abuse,” which is happening for students of all grade levels. The district sent out a survey regarding potential courses of actions regarding phone policies, and they received over six thousand responses.
While Monte Vista has to come up with a plan based on direction from the state, potential concerns regarding this policy are being acknowledged. Senior Travis Hodges currently serves as the district’s Student Board Member and inputs his perspective to the SRVUSD Board of Education members.
“Students are learning personal responsibility–distractions exist in many forms [and] instead of sweeping restrictions, the public should heavily consider the benefits of technology access, and trust that our students can develop the responsibility to manage their own usage,” Hodges said.
As technology progresses, students continue to implement these tools into the classroom. Dr. Ahern asserts that technology is an essential part of our daily lives. He affirms that if student’s use their devices effectively, their overall high school learning experience will be enhanced.
