Leadership students at Ashland High School call implementation of high school cell phone policy an ‘overstep’ 

By Holly Dillemuth, Ashland.news

Seasons are quickly changing and so are cell phone policies this fall for Ashland high schoolers.

Besides having a new school resource officer on campus at Ashland High School this fall, the most notable change students are experiencing is likely its new cell phone policy implemented as the school year began in early September, according to AHS leadership during a school board meeting on Sept. 12. The policy has been in place since the first week of September as Ashland School Board members continue to weigh a district-wide policy. School board members tabled a limited cell phone policy on Sept. 12, and will continue discussions about a stricter policy at a work session on Thursday, Oct. 3. The meeting is open to the public.

“Cell phones need to be off and away, essentially out of sight, in classrooms during instructional time,” said Ashland High School Principal Benjamin Bell, in a phone interview with Ashland.news last week.

“We’re trying to protect the instructional environment in the classroom and make it a distraction-free space that will allow students to focus more easily and to be free to connect with one another in person,” he added. 

The high school’s policy applies to personal cell phones, smart watches and other digital devices that are required to be turned off and stored away for the entire duration of the class. Cell phone usage is banned during restroom breaks but allowed during lunch. 

All other smart devices are expected to be shut off and put away during class time. The policy aims to help keep students focused and engaged in learning throughout the school day. 

Asked about policies that were in place during the COVID-19 pandemic that allowed for the use of cell phones, tablets, and laptops, he shared that the new policy will be a transition.

“Obviously during that time period, we all relied on technology,” Bell said. “That’s how we delivered our lessons … it was really the only way (students) could stay connected with one another.”

Bell sees more developmental benefits socially to removing the use of cell phones from the classroom and wants to refocus students’ attention to interacting in person.

“I think technology is an amazing tool, but it’s just about understanding the time and place for when and how to use it,” he said.

If the district implements a curriculum that uses technology, students may be allowed to use their own personal electronic devices to access the curriculum with prior permission from school officials, according to the policy. Students who are allowed to use their own devices to access the curriculum will be granted access to any application or electronic materials when they are available to students who do not use their own devices, or provided free of charge to students who do not use their own devices, for curriculum.

Bell, in his fifth year as principal, said that the district-wide policy being considered by the school board would include more general language and “would leave it up to school sites how best to implement the policy.”

A cell phone policy aims to lessen distractions for teachers, according to Bell, and mitigate the effects of cell phone use among teens.

“There are so many benefits to doing something like this,” Bell said, noting that the restrictions on cell phones is one of many ways to address bullying, mental health, and issues with social media use on campus.

Bell said already he is seeing more interaction among students, more students staying on campus at lunch, and more interest in student clubs.

“I think this is a worthy cause and a worthy experiment as an important place of learning where we need to put those distractions away,” Bell said.

Bell said students are placing their turned-off cell phones in bins on a voluntary basis, or keeping them tucked away in their belongings during the day.

Owen Taylor, all-student-body co-president of Ashland High School, shared with school board members at the Sept. 12 board meeting that, while the overall reaction to the new policy has been a “net positive” one on campus, he shared “concerns” and “qualms” expressed by students about the way in which the new policy has been implemented.

“I think we can all agree on a factual basis that the new cell phone policy has its benefits,” Taylor told school board members during their regular business meeting. “The thing that a lot of students I’ve spoken with and staff members have expressed in classes is just the abrupt nature of it and also how … it’s difficult to put into words but … the caddies that you put your phones into, I’ve heard negative reviews, you could say, from students and staff.”

Taylor said an unnamed teacher on campus told him they understand the policy, but they just don’t agree with its implementation.

“It feels like an overstep, something that isn’t essential (to the implementation of the policy),” Taylor said.

Bell was not present at the Sept. 12 meeting, but told Ashland.news in an interview last week that the cell phone policy, like many rules, would likely draw a variety of opinions.

“Not everyone is going to be a fan,” Bell said, “and I also am open to the idea, too, that with a new policy, there may be aspects of it that don’t work as well and need to be improved and rewritten. I am certainly under no assumption that we wrote a perfect policy and so we would aim to continue to improve it.”

“We’re open to feedback … but I think we are committed to the idea that we want to have classrooms as ultimately a cell phone-free environment,” he added.

Rebecca Dyson, chair of the Ashland School Board, responded to Taylor’s comments during the board meeting.

“I appreciate the feedback on the (high school) cell phone policy,” Dyson said. “It’s obviously going to be a shift and a work in progress so it will be interesting to really follow how that is received and make any modifications that we can along the way.”

School board member Eva Skuratowicz, who called into the meeting, was among those on the board who would like to see a stricter version of the policy.

“I’m just seeing more and more school districts becoming much stricter on cell phones,” Skuratowicz  said. “We do have lockers at the high school. I know that they’re not used. My kids didn’t use the lockers, but there isn’t a reason we can’t change that.

“Lockers are a perfect place to put cell phones,” she added. “They are accountable only to the student, they are locked, so that could be an option and could really prevent a lot of use, so that way students aren’t likely to be distracted by their phones.”

School board member Russell Hatch also shared his thoughts.

“As we talk about stricter language … I just want to know what the reality is day-to-day,” Hatch said.

“I’m just curious whether we’re sort of building policy around an issue that isn’t there,” he added. “I don’t know that, but that’s just what I’d like is a clearer picture of what the student experience is right now with the policies that are enacted right now.”

Superintendent Joseph Hattrick suggested school board members discuss the topic further at a work session this Thursday, providing time to collect more feedback.

“I can work with our student reps that were here tonight to get some student feedback as well as staff feedback on how it’s working in the classroom,” he said.

Dyson shared additional comments on the policy.

“I’d definitely be curious to know from the students if it’s being implemented across the board uniformly,” Dyson said, “or whether there’s a lot of variability, which is going to make it harder to control what’s happening.”

Union representatives shared positive reports to board members on use of the high school’s policy so far this fall.

Ashland Education Association representative Alan Parowski noted later in the meeting in an AEA (classified employees union) report that employees on campus largely are taking positive notice of the change.

“We are noticing students interacting directly with each other,” Parowski said. “Hearing their laughter and conversations before school and during lunch has been a fantastic change.”

OSEA (teacher’s union) representative James Johnson also shared a positive overall report from teachers on the policy.

“I’ve noticed the difference with not having cellphones out,” Johnson said. “The first day, kids were caught unaware … but they were very cooperative.”

Bell said the new policy stems from a technology subcommittee made up of teachers committed to pursuing the policy.

“They brought this forward as an initiative they wanted to bring into the upcoming school year,” Bell said.

Bell expressed pride in the teachers and staff helping to implement the policy this year, and also thanked parents for their cooperation.

“I’m grateful for the board being supportive of limiting cell phone use during instructional time,” Bell said. 

“We are finishing putting the final touches on our student handbook for this year and that’ll be posted on the website,” Bell said. “The policy will be included in there.” 

The policy as it currently stands at the high school has a detailed list of enforcement methods.

“Of course we’ve had some violations of the policy, which is obviously going to happen,” Bell said. “We’re following through with the consequences here in the office.”

If a student violates the cell phone policy, the following steps will be taken: 

• First Offense: 
• The teacher will collect the phone and notify the office. 
• The office will hold the phone, and a Dean or Administrator will inform parents. 
• The phone will be returned to the student at the end of the day. 
• Second Offense: 
• The teacher will collect the phone and notify the office. 
• Phones will only be returned directly to a parent or guardian. 
• The student will also receive a cell phone behavior contract. 
• Third Offense: 
• The teacher will collect the phone and notify the office. 
• The phone must be picked up by a parent or guardian. 
• The student will receive 1 day of In-School Suspension (ISS). 

A process for responding to a student’s request to use a personal electronic device, including an appeal process if the request is denied, will be provided, according to the policy.

Students are subject to disciplinary action up to and including expulsion for using a personal electronic device in any manner that is academically dishonest, illegal or violates the terms, according to the policy. 

A referral to law enforcement officials may also be made, the policy states. Personal electronic devices brought to district property or used in violation of this policy are subject to confiscation and will be released to the student’s parent or property owner, as appropriate.

Ashland High’s current policy provides exceptions for emergencies, medical needs, and family contact.

If the district implements a curriculum that uses technology, students may be allowed to use their own personal electronic devices to access the curriculum with prior permission from school officials, according to the policy. Students who are allowed to use their own devices to access the curriculum will be granted access to any application or electronic materials when they are available to students who do not use their own devices, or provided free of charge to students who do not use their own devices, for curriculum.

School board member Jill Franko shared a light-hearted comment regarding the cell phone use at the board level near the end of the meeting.

“Next board meeting, we will all put our cell phones in a cubby over there,” Franko said, pointing towards the adjacent wall. 

“Lead by example,” she added.

“We should,” Dyson said.

Ashland.news wants to hear from students, parents, school staff, and members of the local community about what you think of this policy. Comments may be used in a follow up story, with express permission from contributors. Reach out to Ashland.news reporter Holly Dillemuth at hollyd@ashland.news.

Sept. 24: Date of Ashland School Board work session updated.