PLEASANT GROVE, Utah (ABC4) — Students at Pleasant Grove High have returned to school without their cell phones always in their pockets as part of a new policy for the 2024-25 year.
According to the new device policy at the school, students are expected to turn off their phones or place them on “Do Not Disturb” before placing them in a hanging cell phone holder provided by the teacher. The phone will remain in the holder for the entire class period.
Students will still have access to their Chromebooks, which they are encouraged to use as a learning device when technology is necessary.
“Students have been very cooperative for the most part. Very few students have been resistant, and in most cases, we’ve been able to work with parents to find a solution that helps everybody succeed,” said Pleasant Grove High Principal John Hanks. “That success has been a result of engaging teachers and parents in the process of change. Once they were committed, we knew we would make a positive impact on student learning.”
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If a student uses their phone during class time, they will be reminded to place it in a holder. While smartwatches and headphones aren’t required to be placed in a holder, teachers may ask they go with the cellphones if they become a distraction.
Pleasant Grove High School said parents who are trying to reach their student during class time can call the school’s front office. Parents are encouraged to wait to contact their students in between classes or during lunch.
The new cellphone policy is part of an ongoing nationwide movement to remove smartphones from the classroom. Tamara Oborn, a wellness teacher at Pleasant Grove High, said her research found that cell phones have an overwhelming negative impact on students and their learning ability.
“They cause distractions, increase anxiety, and decrease the sense of safety and privacy among students,” said Oborn. “Having distance from cellphones during class time improves student learning by increasing engagement with the material and fellow students, which facilitates deep learning and increased confidence.”
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Earlier this year, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox wrote a letter to state educators encouraging a cell phone ban in the classrooms. The letter was sent as part of Cox’s ongoing campaign against social media which he says is harmful to Utah’s youth.
According to the Governor’s Office, many schools in Utah have already implemented cell phone policies in their schools throughout the state, such as Delta High School in the Millard School District and Evergreen Junior High in the Granite School District.
Utah lawmakers also recently introduced a new bill that would require schools to prohibit cell phones in the classroom, unless they actively choose to permit them. That bill will not be considered until the 2025 General Session starting in January.