close
close

Yiamastaverna

Trusted News & Timely Insights

    • Corpus Christi ISD restricts student cell phone use
    Michigan

    Corpus Christi ISD restricts student cell phone use

    Caradoc Wyn Posted on

    play

    Students returning to Corpus Christi ISD next week should be prepared to focus entirely on learning – not their cell phones.

    To mark the new year, the school district announced new cell phone rules on Tuesday, citing growing concerns among teachers and families that cell phones pose a significant distraction from learning and promoting healthy social interactions.

    In preschool through eighth grade, all communication devices, including cell phones and other devices such as smart watches, must remain turned off and put away during the school day, including on test days. Earbuds and headphones should also be put away.

    This means that, according to school district policy, students are not allowed to have phones on middle school property from 7:50 a.m. to 3:50 p.m., when the school day ends at the elementary school, and from 8:50 a.m. to 4:10 p.m.

    At the high school level, students still have access to cell phones during the school day. All communication devices must be turned off and out of the way in the classroom, but students are allowed to use their devices between classes and during lunch.

    “While we are and will continue to be leaders in integrating technology into the learning process where appropriate, we agree that phones have become a significant distraction during the school day,” Superintendent Roland Hernandez said in the press release announcing the new rules. “We are pleased to join other districts across the state and country in setting common-sense limits that we are confident will immediately result in a healthier school environment.”

    Federico Saqui Lara, principal of Oak Park Elementary School, said that many young students on his campus do not yet have cell phones. But if they do have a cell phone or smartwatch, students hand their devices over to teachers in the morning to be put away. At the end of the day, students get their devices back.

    This is similar to how cell phones have been handled on campus in the past, said Saqui Lara.

    Cell phones can not only distract students from learning, they can also prevent them from socializing, he said.

    “Sometimes teachers have to compete with social media,” Saqui Lara said, adding that cyberbullying is also a problem. “We eliminate this potential distraction so that class time is sacred.”

    How can parents communicate with their students during the school day?

    If a parent needs to reach their student, they can call the office at any time. Depending on the circumstances, a message may be sent to the student’s teacher or the student may be brought to the office for a call if the matter is urgent.

    Any student who needs a telephone for communication may request a visit to the office. In case of emergency, all CCISD classrooms are equipped with telephones that have emergency alarm systems.

    How will students be disciplined if they violate the new rules?

    According to the press release, disciplinary action will begin with a reminder to follow the rules if the phone is not put away, with further consequences following if necessary.

    Disciplinary procedures are outlined in the school district’s Student Code of Conduct, which states that disciplinary action depends on the professional judgment of teachers and school administrators and is based on the seriousness of the offense, the age and grade level of the student, the frequency of the misconduct, the attitude of the student, the impact of the misconduct on the school environment, and legal requirements.

    The school district’s policy allows school district employees to confiscate private telecommunications devices used in violation of campus rules. If a device is confiscated, the student’s parents can get it back by paying a fee.

    “We understand this may be an adjustment for some of our students and families,” Hernandez said in the release. “We appreciate everyone’s support as we work every day to provide the best possible learning environment for our students, which includes minimizing distractions to encourage learning and friendships.”

    What does the data show about mobile phones in schools?

    According to survey data from the Pew Research Center, one-third of public elementary and secondary teachers say that students’ cell phone distractions are a major problem in the classroom. In secondary schools, teachers are even more concerned: 72% of teachers consider cell phones a major problem in the classroom.

    In the same survey, 82% of K-12 teachers said their school or district has some sort of cell phone policy. But 30% of teachers at schools with a policy say it is very or somewhat difficult to enforce—this is even more true at the high school level, where nearly two-thirds of teachers at schools with policies say it is very or somewhat difficult to enforce.

    According to a 2023 Pew Research Center survey, 95% of U.S. teens have access to a smartphone at home, with nearly half of teens reporting using the internet almost constantly.

    In Corpus Christi, parents and teachers are speaking publicly about their concerns about smartphones. Champions for Childhood, a group formed this spring by parents and teachers from public and private schools up and down the island’s coast, has spoken to the Corpus Christi ISD school board twice this summer.

    The group plans to meet with Rep. Todd Hunter to discuss how parents and community members can work together to reduce smartphone use in schools and social media use by youth. The meeting is scheduled for Aug. 27 at 6 p.m. in the Del Mar College Oso Creek Campus Community Room.

    “It’s our sea turtle”: A look at the history of Kemp’s ridley sea turtle recovery and ongoing threats

    “We are not finished yet”: How the Atlantic ridley turtle became endangered and what threats still exist

    Corpus Christi ISD teachers returning for 2024-25 school year

    Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi hosts vocational training program in downtown

    Tagged:

    LEAVE A RESPONSE

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Caradoc Wyn
    View all posts

    You Might Also Like

    ads