The Pasco County School Board is expected to decide soon on how and when cellphones can be used on school campuses.
Pasco County School Board Chairwoman Megan Harding has requested a workshop on the issue, which Superintendent Kurt Browning said will occur.
The issue came up at the school board’s March 7 meeting.
In requesting the workshop, Harding noted: “I think it’s a really important topic that revolves around students’ mental health and behaviors that are occurring within the classroom. And, I’d really like to have that discussion with my peers, if you all are willing.”
School board member Al Hernandez responded: “Absolutely.”
Browning said the district is scheduling a workshop in the second week of April.
“We’ve been working on this issue the last few weeks, in earnest. We will have the data available,” Browning said.
Any changes in the district would take effect next school year, the superintendent said.
Harding said she hopes families will weigh in on the issue.
Steve Hegarty, the district’s public information officer, said the district established a Thought Exchange on the topic, reaching out directly to parents, teachers and students seeking their engagement on the issue.
“We’ve had thousands, thousands of responses,” Hegarty said.
Browning discussed the issue in a video that accompanied the Thought Exchange.
He said cellphones are common on school campuses, and have both advantages and disadvantages.
While they can be useful for legitimate academic purposes, when used irresponsibly, they can be a distraction, can be destructive and can be used to amplify and spread threats and rumors, Browning said in the video.
“So, how can we manage the use of cellphones in our schools?” Browning asked.
“How do we promote the appropriate uses, while reducing inappropriate uses and mitigating the harmful effects?”
Browning acknowledged: “There’s no way to put the Genie back into the bottle. Cellphones are here to stay. They’re part of our daily life.”
Plus, he added: “Florida law says students may have cellphones at school.”
At the same time, state law allows districts to adopt rules “about how and when students use wireless devices at school,” Browning said.
“So, the question is this: What kind of rules can we adopt, rules that are both effective and realistic,” Browning continued.
“In this Thought Exchange, we’re seeking your thoughts, concerns and suggestions about how your school and the district, in general, should handle the use of cellphones and other wireless devices at school,” the superintendent said.
The issue has sparked considerable interest, with 8,930 participating in the exchange.
Those commenting shared an array of suggestions and opinions.
Here’s a sampling:
- “I don’t think students should be allowed to film others or make TikToks at school. Children are being humiliated and exploited on social media. School is already hard enough. Then when students post videos of others (fights), now they’ve opened it up to the world to bully them. It’s not right.”
- “With the ongoing threats schools are constantly getting and controlled campuses or lockdowns that are occurring, students need access to their phones.”
- “In the event of an emergency, I want my children to be able to reach me.”
- “My child needs her phone because she walks to school and home from school.”
- “Social media should be blocked during the school day. It’s a huge distraction.”
- “No social media. Tech is valuable but needs to be focused.
- “No interruptions from cellphones during teaching.”
Others suggested that cellphones be kept in backpacks or wall organizers during class and that cellphone use be limited to non-instructional time.
The need for cellphone access for children who have health issues was noted, too.
Overall, the tenor of the comments seemed to suggest that Thought Exchange participants want the district to strike a balance between allowing the legitimate use of cellphones, while imposing rules intended to reduce distractions caused by cellphones, as well as disruptive and harmful use of the devices.
Published March 22, 2023
