After the Twin Falls School District announced a new cell phone policy in July, parents, teachers and other community members took to social media to voice their support or concerns about the decision.

The policy states that students are not allowed to carry electronic devices during class, except those necessary for instruction. In reviewing the new policy, the district cited data showing that cell phone use was affecting students’ academic performance.

“This policy is being implemented to minimize distractions, ensure a safe learning environment, and support students’ emotional well-being and academic development,” the district wrote when the policy was first announced.

Earlier this week Times-News asked residents what they thought of the new policy. While most agreed with the TFSD’s decision, others made suggestions on how the new policy could be improved.

Daisy Diaz, a mother from Minidoka County, said her children were given similar rules at school.

“In my experience, I really enjoyed it,” Diaz said. “I didn’t have to worry about them being distracted or bullied online.”

Her children gave their cell phones to their teachers at the start of class and got them back when the last bell rang. Diaz said that because of the no-cell phone policy, her students excelled academically and socially and were able to contact their classmates. Diaz’s children could call her in case of illness or other emergencies.

“I firmly believe that (students) are more successful when there are no disruptions,” she said.

In addition to TFSD, other schools in the Magic Valley have implemented similar policies. At Xavier Charter School, students are prohibited from using their electronic devices during class time. As at TFSD, students’ electronic devices must be turned off and “out of sight” from the first bell until the final end of class.

In addition, the policy states that the school is not responsible for “loss, theft or destruction of any equipment brought onto school premises.”

According to data from the Pew Research Center, 72 percent of public elementary and secondary school teachers agree that cell phones distract students in class, while 20 percent say cell phones are only a minor problem.

Sixty percent of high school teachers said it was difficult to enforce school-wide cell phone rules in their classrooms, while 56 percent said implementing the rules was relatively easy.

According to a report by Education Week, the 2022 International Student Assessment Program found that two-thirds of 15-year-old students in the United States said they were distracted by using electronic devices during class. Fifty-four percent of respondents said they were also distracted by their classmates using their devices.

The global evaluation found that 54% of students who used their electronic devices for up to an hour outperformed their classmates by 14 points.

Robert Reynolds, a father from Twin Falls, told the Times-News that he is concerned about his daughter’s safety in dangerous situations.

Reynolds attributed this to recent events across the country, including school shootings and the staged shooting at Canyon Ridge High School last year, which raised his concerns for his child’s safety.

“Middle school students are old enough to know to press 9-1-1 on their phone to automatically dial emergency services. We always thought Twin Falls was immune to that,” he said. “But in the last few years we’ve realized that’s not the case.”

While the district assures parents that families will be notified by the school in dangerous situations, such as a school closure, Reynolds argues that school staff are not with students all the time.

In the midst of a school closure, Reynolds thought about the child who might have been in the bathroom when the emergency was declared. In such situations, how can parents know if their child is there?

“I understand … the district wants to make (the school) a safe learning environment so that it doesn’t get to social media where other students are being teased, jokes are being made or a false report is being spread like last year,” he said. “What if something actually happens?”

Leslie Sackmaster, a local teacher, shared her story with the ^ “Times News”. Sackmaster’s statements reflect her personal opinions and not those of the district.

When Canyon Ridge High School went into lockdown last year, Sackmaster’s school did the same. That’s when she received a text message from her daughter informing her of the situation.

“If anything happens, I love you,” her daughter wrote.

Sackmaster tried desperately to calm her students and her daughter in a stressful situation at the same time. She doesn’t know what she would have done if something had happened to her daughter and she didn’t have her phone available to communicate.

“You have to have them in your pocket so they’re handy in case of an emergency,” she said. “As an adult, I don’t even put mine in my purse for this exact reason.”

Last year, Reynolds wrote a letter to the district when the policy was still under review. He missed his appointment with the school board but continued to follow up to make sure his opinion was heard. Reynolds said he never heard from the district again.

“Not having the phone with you? I don’t agree with that,” he said. “There’s a reason (students) have a phone, and that’s to be able to contact their parents in case of an emergency.”