MANCHESTER, CT – First pitched as part of his state-of-the-state address last month, Gov. Ned Lamont is taking a cue from China and Beyoncé when it comes to social media and smartphones in schools.
In an effort to gain support for coming up with state guidance to lock up students’ smartphones during the school day, Lamont visited Illing Middle School in Manchester to see how the pilot program was going. He was joined by Attorney General William Tong, Connecticut Education Commissioner Charlene Russell-Tucker, CEA President Kate Dias, and others for the visit.
Starting in December, at the beginning of each school day Illing students were required to store their smartphones in a Yondr pouch, which they then carry through the day. The pouches are locked with magnets that can only be unlocked by school staff.
Lamont and Tong said that they hope to see schools around the state implement similar programs. While it doesn’t appear that there will be state funding for the pouches, Senate Bill 14 could provide a framework for school districts to work independently with vendors to implement a program that works for them.
But a phone neutralization program will not be required throughout the state, Lamont said.
“We believe in local education, so you just let superintendents do their own thing,” Lamont said.
The program at Illing cost roughly $30,000 for the school to implement, between purchasing pouches and magnets, according to Manchester Superintendent of Schools Matthew Geary. Geary said the school purchased about 1,200 pouches to cover its student population of about 800 students.
Students racing down the halls to record fights, inciting social media drama with their classmates, and being distracted and disengaged from their work were all contributing factors in the decision by administrators and teachers make a policy change.
Connecticut Education Association President Kate Dias said that when schools function as a community, everyone is better off.
“This isn’t about penalizing you guys [students],” Dias said. “It’s about freeing you, so you have the opportunity to really focus to just worry about, oh, I don’t know, math class?”
Illing Principal Idelisa Torres said it was important for students to just be able to learn, without having to worry about being recorded or being part of online drama. The program, she said, has brought “such a positive change.”
While students originally petitioned the school to stop the program, at the beginning, several at the event said they had benefitted from not having access to their phones during school. Safety and communication were part of their original concerns, but several students said they were happy to not have to worry about being recorded during the day.
Rep. Jason Doucette and Sen. MD Rahman, both Democrats from Manchester, attended the event and expressed their support for the program and what it means for students.
“Everybody thinks this is a great idea, and I was proud that we were one of the first in the state to do it,” Doucette said.
Rahman echoed Doucette’s comments.
“This program is working because you’re all dedicated and supporting your teachers,” he said.
