Troy School District addresses cellphone use at schools

TROY — As more schools across the country consider curbing students’ use of cellphones during school days, Troy School District (TSD) Director of Communications and Strategic Initiatives Kendra Montante recently shared how faculty members are addressing this topic.

Recently, according to a report from John Hopkins University, states like Florida, Indiana, Ohio, South Carolina and Louisiana passed laws to ban or restrict cellphones in K-12 schools, while school districts in many other states have implemented policies to limit cellphone use.

According to a John Hopkins University article by Emily Gaines Buchler, research suggests that smartphone use may be fueling the country’s mental health crisis among youth and leading to problems in schools, including dwindling attention spans and stymied social-emotional development.

Three state representatives, including Tom Kuhn, R-Troy, have previously introduced bills that would ban cellphones in schools.

“The most important focus for our state should be student success,” Kuhn stated in a press release. “When in the classroom, our students should be focused on their academics, not the latest trend on TikTok.”

Many Michigan schools have already started to restrict cellphone usage.

“Cell phones have paved a dangerous path for young students to be heavily engaged in social media platforms, resulting in harmful consequences for our students,” Kuhn stated via the release. “By keeping cell phones out of schools, this allows students to be more focused on their schoolwork, which has been shown to lead to increased success in the classroom.”

Montante noted that currently the Troy School District does not allow elementary students to use phones during the school day and requires students who are in middle school to leave their phones in their lockers during school hours.

High school students may occasionally use their phones for educational purposes but are otherwise encouraged to keep them out of sight.

“The Troy School District (TSD) cell phone policy, a component of our Student Handbook, was created to balance the considerations of student safety and well-being with the need to maintain a learning environment free from distractions,” Montante stated via email. “Students who use devices at school should demonstrate the greatest respect for the educational environment regarding the rights and privacy of all individuals within the school community. The use of any and all devices during school should be for educational purposes. Permission to use such items in the TSD must be given by the faculty or school administration and is approved on a class by class basis.”

Last year, the Troy School District Board of Education selected “The Anxious Generation” by Jonathan Haidt for a book study that included both trustees and administrators.

According to anxiousgeneration.com, “We cannot afford to ignore (Haidt’s) findings about protecting our children and ourselves from the psychological damage of a phone-based life.”

After reading the book, the Troy School District hosted a community read and facilitated discussions with staff and the community.

“Our Technology Committee will continue to discuss cell phones and work to find solutions that support our students,” Montante stated via email. “We will continue learning around this topic as the state and other districts do as well.”

For more information, visit troy.k12.mi.us.