STOCKTON, Missouri (KY3) – Dozens of districts are working to eliminate distractions and end bullying by banning cell phone use.

“As parents, we want to know where they stand,” said a parent from the Stockton school district.

Aaron Lakin lives in the Stockton area. Two of his children went to school in Stockton and the cell phone ban is a major concern for him.

On Tuesday, August 20, the students will go back to school. This year, however, they will be welcomed not only by the teachers, but also by the new rule.

“Our students find cell phones to be the biggest distraction. They are constantly getting notifications from social media platforms. It is very difficult for them to ignore that,” said Stockton Superintendent Doug Crawford.

Starting this school year, the Stockton School District will require the use of Yonder Pouches, secure bags for storing devices.

“Yonder is just a tool for us with the bags. Students don’t have to put their phones in bags. They can leave them in the car. They can leave them at home. But if they take them into the building, each student gets a bag, and when they walk out the door, they have to be in a bag,” Crawford said.

Other parents in the district say this could be a good thing. Joshua King works in the district as a school resource officer and has children in the district. Every day he gets a glimpse of the impact the phones can have on students. He says sometimes it can lead to online bullying.

“Staff have a duty to follow up when children make mistakes in virtual school. This disrupts the learning environment and the children because they are now dealing with emotional impacts,” King said.

While Lakin agrees that this could be a great idea, he also worries about the lack of communication in the event of an emergency.

He says: “You never know what’s going to happen in the world these days, and you know, personally, I would prefer my child to have his phone with him in case something like this happens.”

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