Loudoun County Public Schools first announced its decision to look into a new cell phone policy in April 2024. After taking community feedback into consideration, in June, the public was made aware that LCPS had decided to implement this cell phone policy for the current school year.
Two months into the new year with the policy in effect, students, parents and teachers alike have varying opinions on the new policy.
“I think it’s good in a way because people aren’t going on their phones in class, but it’s not necessary, because students’ grades are on them and for them to pay attention or not, and it’s not really good for safety reasons,” explained Fallon Davis, a junior at Briar Woods.
Some concerns have been raised by parents on how they would be able to contact their children in case of an emergency, as the current solution is through the front office via the school phone. Worries have come up over how the office would be able to handle the number of calls that would come through if an emergency were to happen. With over 1,700 students enrolled at Briar Woods, the office would become slammed with parents trying to contact their kids to ensure their safety if this solution were to stay in place.
Kim Hall, a parent of a Briar Woods student, shares her opinion on the safety concerns that this new policy brings, saying, “I don’t think the county fully considered what they were doing when they decided to enforce this policy, because with all of the school shootings happening right now, if Briar Woods were to be targeted, how could I ensure my child’s safety if contacting the front office is the method they have in place?”
Changing the focus towards benefits of the policy, improvements in learning have been evident in classroom environments. Teachers have shared their positive experiences with the results of not having phones as a distraction, such as more engagement in the classroom and participation in class activities.
“Students are distraction free, relatively speaking. Every now and then we’ll take breaks, which is when we all can indulge in a phone fix. Balance and moderation is key,” stated Mr. Whitacre, a Psychology teacher at Briar Woods. “Students are locked in and becoming more vocal which is great! Some activities that I used phones for will have to be adapted, [but] in teaching, much of what we do requires improvising so there isn’t anything this policy creates that is insurmountable,” continued Mr. Whitacre.
Although there are clearly both benefits and drawbacks that come with this new policy, one thing is agreed amongst everyone. The policy is here to stay for the whole school year. People predict that there may be revisions to the policy to address the drawbacks it has created, but it will continue to be strictly enforced.
In light of the distress expressed by students and parents regarding the new cell phone policy, the school division will be introducing a new executive order for an even harsher policy due to concerns from teachers and staff about the ineffectiveness of the current policy. Starting Jan. 1, 2025, students will be required to keep phones stored away all day, including during lunch periods and in between classes. Time will reveal how this policy is received once implemented.
