Surrounded by senators, delegates, students and faculty, Governor Patrick Morrisey signed two new bills for West Virginia on April 29, one of them known as House Bill 2003, a bill aiming to ban cell phones from schools. Colorful shelves of books lined the Library of Lincoln Middle School behind the governor, echoing with his voice as supporters gathered behind him. The bill was officially signed.
Representative Roger Hanshaw introduced House Bill 2003 in February of this year with the goal of limiting cell phone usage in schools across the state. The Bill states that its purpose relates to “concerns relating to distractions, academic misconduct, bullying and/or harassment, and other inappropriate behaviors.”
County boards are given the control, with the responsibility of developing a policy according to the requirements established in the bill. Personal electronic devices are to be prohibited during instructional time, with certain exceptions.
The bill defines a person’s device as “any portable device capable of wireless communication or computing.” Some examples the bill includes are tablets, cellular phones, and smartwatches.
According to head principal Edson Arneault, the Hancock County Board of Education hasn’t communicated a finalized policy, but they aware of the new legislation. “I expect that conversations at the district level will occur over the summer as administrators and board members work to interpret the bill and plan for implementation in the upcoming school year,” said Areault.
He assures that students, staff, and families will be aware when there is a plan in place.
When asked about the ban, faculty and students had conflicting opinions.
In a school wide poll sent to students, out of the 42 to respond, only one agreed with the bill, 33 students disagreed and 8 were unsure.
When asked to elaborate, multiple brought up concerns of an emergency happening. Many stated that in a crisis, they would want to contact loved ones or family members.
Another sentiment among students is the ban being unfair, specifically to students who follow rules and are productive in class. Another common sentiment was that phones should have regulation but not banned altogether.
When asked for commentary on student safety concerns, Arneault had this response: “In the event of any emergency, the school has established communication systems in place to contact parents and emergency services immediately. Our office phones, radios, and emergency protocols are designed to respond quickly and effectively, and our staff is trained to ensure student safety with our training of ALICE.” He explained that under unique health or family-related circumstances, there will be flexibility, and situations will be handled on a case-by-case basis.
In a poll sent to all Weir High teachers, 9 agreed, 5 were undecided, and 1 teacher disagreed. Teachers seemed to have mixed opinions on the subject. Some fully agreed that phones are a complete distraction and should be banned, while others felt that banning phones still wouldn’t be effective in eliminating all classroom distractions, or that students need phones to be prepared for the real world.
English teacher Matthew Mandarino had the opposite sentiment. “I think that banning phones from the classrooms helps to prepare students for the work world. Most employers limit the use of phones to some extent—particularly during meetings,” he said.
Several teachers also indicated that phones don’t just distract the student, but the whole class and the teacher too. They stated that it’s harder to teach properly if they constantly have to stop teaching to take phones.
English teacher Jamie Truax and math teacher Alisa Hannah offered their perspective on the ban in the following interviews.
In the end, it’s hard to say how the bill will affect the school. Once the County Board releases the new policy, administrators should get a better idea of how next school year will differ from our past. Until then, Weir can assume that phones will definitely be less accessible during the school day than before, and that this will be an adjusting period for students, parents, and faculty alike.
In the words of Arneault: “We’re [Weir High faculty] required to follow the guidance of our county board, and we’ll do so in a way that best supports both learning and student well-being.”