By Curt Peterson
The topic of “phone-free schools” was introduced by Sarit Werner during public comment session at Monday evening’s Mountain Views Supervisory Union (MVSU) board meeting, Aug. 5.
Reception of the idea among meeting attendees was generally positive.
Werner, who is creative director at Plymouth Cheese Co. in Plymouth, read a letter from the Phone-Free Coalition of Parents bearing more than 120 signatures.
The “letter of support for Woodstock Middle and High School to be fully phone-free all day” read in part: “It’s abundantly clear that bell-to-bell mobile phone-free school environments will make huge strides to create a positive environment where the health of students is prioritized. The presence of mobile phones, earbuds and smartwatches distracts from learning and also interrupts opportunities for students to learn healthy interaction with each other.”
The Phone-Free School Movement’s stated mission is to, “Provide youth the freedom to excel academically and develop socially without the pressure and harms of phones and social media during the school day.”
The devices would be locked up in the administration office until the end of the school day, when they would be returned to their owners.
If students and parents needed to communicate with each other during the school day, calls could be made or received at the administration office. Exceptions can be made for health reasons if necessity and confirmed in writing by a medical professional.
MVSU board chair Kerilyn Bristow told the Mountain Times, “I think [the board] will support this initiative once they and the principal work out a proposal.”
Bristow said an actual phone-free program won’t be ready to launch by the first day of school. All stakeholders, she said, including parents, staff and student leaders will be involved in discussions during the process. She doesn’t think it would require a formal policy.
Many schools across the country and in Vermont have already implemented phone-free policies. In fact, the Vermont Senate attempted in April to pass S.284, state-wide legislation implementing personal device prohibition in schools. The House failed to approve a watered-down version.
Still, many districts have implemented localized phone-free plans. In Vermont, Thetford Academy 7-12, Harwood 7-12, Hartford Memorial Middle and all of the Lamoille South Supervisory Union (which operates seven schools between Morristown and Stowe) will begin this school year as 100% phone-free schools.
“Cellphones have fast become the single largest distraction in classrooms across the nation, causing a growing number of education leaders and policymakers to consider or enact policies limiting their access during the school day,” wrote Elizabeth Heubeck in an article titled “Why Many Schools’ Strict Cellphone Policies May Not Go Far Enough” published in EducationWeek, July 18, 2024.
The addictive nature of cellphones, social media and the correlating negative effect on mental health especially for kids and teens has been gaining attention for years, with experts from various healthcare fields weighing in. About two month ago, on June 17, even the U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy announced that he would push for a warning label on social media platforms advising parents that using the platforms might damage adolescents’ mental health. For warning labels — like those that appear on tobacco and alcohol products — to be enacted, Congress must approve the recommendation.
While some administrators have feared push-back by parents, most have found them highly supportive, Heubeck reported.
To read the MVSU letter in full, visit: Tinyurl.com/MVSUPhoneFree.
