WA Schools Take a Stand: Cell Phones Banned to Boost Focus and Learning

It's a bold move that some schools in WA stand by. No cell phones during class.

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An increasing number of schools in the Evergreen State are banning the use of cell phones during classes. The Peninsula School District has restrictions in place for cell phone usage. Students may use their phones before the school day begins, during lunch, and if there's an emergency. Smartwatches are also included in the ban.

According to a statement from the school district:

For the past decade, PSD has been permissive in allowing students to bring their own devices and access social media from our district networks. With these new and updated policies, PSD will block all access to social media on district networks and will only permit the use of student’s personal devices before and after school, during lunch, or if an administrator explicitly permits them.

The statement addressing the new cell phone policy and social media was issued on August 8, 2023. Administrators gathered input from students, staff, and parents to develop the policy.

"Enforcing this policy consistently across all schools will be crucial to its success. While acknowledging the challenges of enforcement, the district is dedicated to maintaining a uniform approach, ensuring that the policy's benefits are realized by students in every classroom.” Superintendent Krestin Bahr said.

Interlake High School in the Bellevue School District operates using a similar cell phone policy. In the Netherlands cell phones, tablets and smartwatches are banned from classrooms.