Fairfax County Public Schools is considering a pilot program this fall that would require students to hand over their cell phones during class.
Earlier this month, the Fairfax County School Board directed Superintendent Michelle Reid to develop a plan for students to secure their phones in lockers, magnetic pouches or similar central storage areas — as opposed to their pocket or backpack — with the goal of reducing distractions and improving student focus.
“Cell phone usage in schools is rapidly becoming a critical issue,” At-Large Representative Kyle McDaniel said in a press release. “We need to know what our options are, what we’re dealing with, what works, and what doesn’t. This pilot program will answer these questions and give us invaluable data to inform future rules around cell phone usage in our schools.”
FCPS currently prohibits elementary and middle school students from using their phones during the school day, except for medical emergencies and when permitted by a teacher. High school students must keep their phones silenced and in their backpacks during class but can use them in between instructional periods.
The policy was implemented in 2022 to create an environment “conducive to learning,” FCPS said at the time. Before that, the school system had let students use cell phones and other personal devices in class for academic purposes.
McDaniel told FFXnow that the pilot program idea arose from concerns about cell phone use affecting students in and out of the classroom, including issues with students recording one another.
“We’ve heard of cases where there are not-so-good activities that are spread through cell phone usage,” he said. “If there are fights in hallways, or if there’s altercations or whatever it may be, everybody pulls out their cell phone and all of a sudden [it] just goes all over the place and spreads through the school very quickly. So, there’s the very basic distraction…component, but…I also want to clamp down on bad behavior.”
McDaniel expects Reid to present a plan to the school board in July or early August that would implement the new pilot program in select schools by September. The pilot will affect “each region,” but the board didn’t specify which schools will be included.
In addition to the pilot, Reid will develop a “communications plan” to raise awareness and encourage enforcement of FCPS’ current cell phone usage policies, particularly in high schools.
Using data collected from the pilot, Reid is expected to develop options for a new cell phone usage policy that would be consistent across elementary, middle and high schools. It could potentially include a ban on cell phone use during the school day, with exceptions for instructional purposes and accommodations for students with special needs.
The superintendent plans to gather input and present options for a policy to the school board by March 1, 2025.
At the school board’s meeting on May 23, Student Advisory Council representative and Woodson High School student Rida Karim objected to the board’s intention to overhaul the cell phone policy, arguing that a “total ban might not be beneficial for students as it could potentially impact their self-esteem.”
“Indeed, phones can be a significant distraction, but the solution might lie in teaching students self-control,” she said. “Although challenging, it’s not an impossible task. After all, there was a time when humans lived without phones. So, it’s certainly feasible.”
Photo via Tamarcus Brown/Unsplash
