Sound Off! Thousands of Students, Parents Demand Broward Schools Lift Phone Ban

Students and parents are fuming about Broward County Public Schools' new policy that will force kids to keep off their cell phones while on campus.

For years, school districts around the country have been trying to curb cell phone use in and around the classroom. As kids are getting cell phones at younger ages and becoming more attached to their devices, school administrators and teachers have pushed for crackdowns on cell use, saying students are struggling to socialize face to face and pay attention during class.

Last month, the Broward School Board took action on the issue when it passed tight restrictions that ban student cell phone use during school hours and mandate that phones stay off or in airplane mode throughout the school day. The district had previously allowed students to use cell phones between classes and at lunch, though the devices had to be on silent mode in class.

While Broward school board members said the crackdown is necessary to address students' worsening mental health and help improve their real-life interactions, more than a few are decrying the new policy. As of Friday afternoon, roughly 16,500 people had signed a petition urging the county to reverse the ban.

"Rather than an outright ban, a more effective approach might be to educate students on responsible cell phone use and establish clear guidelines that promote appropriate behavior without completely restricting access," the petition reads. "This approach could involve designated phone-free zones or times, rather than a blanket prohibition."

Those who have signed the petition say they are concerned about getting in touch with family members in case of an emergency, especially in the era of mass shootings.

"Schools are no longer safe to be banning cell phones from students," a petition comment reads.

Many parents cite the 2018 Valentine's Day mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas (MSD) High School, located in the west Broward city of Parkland, as one of the reasons they signed the petition.

"I can recall the fear I had not knowing if my children were safe even though their schools were miles away from MSD," one parent wrote. "Enforcing this ban is unethical and inhumane."

Others note that some students struggle with social anxiety and rely on their phones during lunch if they have difficulty making friends. Petitioners mention that their phones help relieve their school-related stress when they're taking a break from work.

"It's not fair for those who don't have that ease of socializing," one comment reads. "Leave the phones at lunch for those who don't have anyone to spend them with. It's unfair for everyone if they don't have friends with whom to talk."

Another parent adds, "I understand not using devices during class session, but in between and lunch should be allowed. My child has anxiety, and he communicates with me at lunch so that I can guide him with positivity."

In July, when the school board passed the cell phone ban, board member Allen Zemen said the restrictions will improve students' focus by removing their primary distraction on campus.

Zemen called it a "bold move" to stop the use of addictive apps during school hours. 

"It's gonna change the amount of learning that happens. It's gonna change the amount of time they talk to other students. It's gonna change the teacher's ability to teach those students," Zemen said.

Some parents, however, are concerned about contacting their children about family plans, safety issues, and even mundane matters like carpool plan changes.

"This ban is literally the dumbest thing I've ever heard of," a comment reads. "Communication between thousands of kids and parents through one phone line is unacceptable. There are plenty of cases in which a student may need to alert a parent of something, and this ban completely stops this line of communication, which will make the daily school life experience ten times worse for so many people."

Broward County Public Schools join a growing number of districts nationwide that have barred students from using their cellphones during the school day. The Los Angeles Unified School District (the second largest school district in the country by enrollment) and Orange County Public Schools in Central Florida are among those that have instituted cell bans. New York City's school district, the largest in the nation, has announced plans to put a ban in place as well during school hours.

In addition to following a new cell phone policy this school year, Broward high schoolers will have to pass through metal detectors before each school day begins.