The Courier-Journal (Louisville)

Lock cellphones away, Tenn. school district says

Officials’ aim is to prevent distractio­ns for students

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – School is back in session in central Tennessee, and students in one county are adapting to a new cellphone policy – one that will soon require them to lock their devices away to limit distractio­ns.

The Warren County district’s policy prohibits cellphones, AirPods, earbuds, Bluetooth-connected headphones, smartwatch­es, fitness trackers and other devices with an internet connection. Devices too large to be locked away in special Yondr-brand pouches are not permitted on campus.

The idea emerged from a recent school board discussion where members highlighte­d ongoing concerns raised by teachers and the community, county schools Director Grant Swallows said in an email to the Tennessean.

The pouches and related supplies were a “significant cost to the district” and are currently on order, Swallows said. Exceptions will be made for students with medical necessitie­s.

Consequenc­es for violating the policy vary by grade and number of offenses. They range from confiscation to detention to suspension to, for high schoolers, revocation of parking privileges and restrictio­n of attendance at school-sponsored events.

A growing trend?

Warren County is one of the first districts in Tennessee to enact an anticellph­one policy, according to a statement. A Republican state lawmaker introduced a bill in January to ban cellphones and other devices in school unless authorized or provided to the student by the district. The proposal failed to make it out of the education committee.

However, three states recently passed laws banning or restrictin­g cellphone use in schools, as previously reported by the Knoxville News-Sentinel.

Florida was the first to do so, in 2023. Earlier this year, Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb signed a bill that requires school districts to limit cellphone use during class time. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed a similar bill in May that requires every district to establish an official policy governing cellphone use during school hours.

In 2024 alone, lawmakers in at least eight states have considered passing legislatio­n to do the same.

In a Facebook post, the Warren County School district said there have been challenges implementi­ng the policy changes; however, school administra­tors have been working on adjustment­s to improve efficiency.

According to Swallows, the school district has received repeated support from both teachers and parents. While administra­tors believe it would be better if students didn’t bring devices at all, they recognize that some students need their devices for after-school practices or different bus routes.

The policy will remain in effect until the board considers any changes. Swallows doesn’t anticipate that happening anytime soon, he said.