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In questionnaires sent out to school board candidates in the April 1 election, The Herald-News asked candidates their position on allowing students to use cell phones during school hours.
Here are the answers from three candidates for Lockport Township High School District 205 who responded.
Paul Lencioni
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What is your position on allowing students to use cell phones during school hours?
I believe that some restrictions on cell phone use during school hours are beneficial and necessary for students’ mental health and development. There is strong evidence that social media and excessive phone use contribute to the social and academic challenges young people face today. Encouraging students to engage more in face-to-face interactions in focused learning environments is important. That said, determining the right level of restriction is complex. As a school board member, my role would be to listen to students, parents, teachers, administrators and experts—and rely on their insights to make informed policy decisions that balance the benefits of technology with the need for a healthy learning environment.
Do you think cell phone policies should allow exceptions for emergencies or specific educational purposes? If so, how would these exceptions be defined?
Any exceptions to a cell phone policy should be clearly defined and guided by teachers and administrators. The goal should be to ensure that technology is used in a way that enhances learning without becoming a distraction. Ultimately, these decisions should be made with input from educators and experts to create policies that balance safety, practicality, and the best interests of students. We should rely on guidance from law enforcement agencies to determine the safest protocols for emergency situations. As a father of two high school students, I understand parents wanting a direct line to their children in an emergency. It is essential however to balance parent interests with expert input on how to create policies that prioritize overall student safety. I would defer to the recommendations of experts in the field to ensure that any exceptions to cell phone policies align with best practices for maintaining a safe learning environment. Our ultimate responsibility is to create the safest possible environment for the students in our community.
Wendy Streit
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What is your position on allowing students to use cell phones during school hours?
Cell phones are a detriment to students’ education. They should be off and remain put away during the school day.
Do you think cell phone policies should allow exceptions for emergencies or specific educational purposes? If so, how would these exceptions be defined?
Cell phones, of course, should be used for emergency purposes, but there is enough technology available on the student laptops that makes the phones unnecessary. Blurring the lines for educational purposes only makes the policies messy.
Scott Nyssen
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What is your position on allowing students to use cell phones during school hours?
As a school administrator, I grapple with the challenges of cell phone use in the school building every day. I believe students do not need constant access to their phones, and clear parameters must be set and enforced. Phones often serve as distractions in the classroom and can pose safety risks when misused. If students require internet access for academic purposes, they have school-issued Chromebooks to support their research and learning.
Eric Nush
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What is your position on allowing students to use cell phones during school hours?
During instructional class time, personal cell phones should not be seen or heard. They can be in a pocket or bag, but should not be out and used. This should apply equally to both students and staff. There is no academic or instructional benefit to allowing personal cell phones to be used; however there is a benefit during emergency situations. For classroom needs every student already has a district-issued Chromebook to be used for instructional purposes. I am in favor of policy allowing responsible and common-sense cell phone usage during passing periods, lunch periods, on the bus, and after-school. All school policies would have to still apply (appropriate content, no bullying, etc).
Do you think cell phone policies should allow exceptions for emergencies or specific educational purposes? If so, how would these exceptions be defined?
Yes, I believe cell phones should be allowed to be kept on the student (either in pocket or bag) for emergency purposes. There is no harm in doing this, and policy can be created to cover these purposes. I do not believe they should be allowed for educational purposes. If there is an educational purpose for having access to technology, then the school district needs to be providing the technology. Not every student has a cell phone, and there could be various family finances or family reasons why a student does not have a cell phone. The technology provided by the district needs to be adequate to complete the required instructional purposes, and curriculum/lessons should be aligned and planned with the available technology in mind.