Gov. Ned Lamont has new recommendations for school districts as he looks to get cell phones out of classrooms.
The guidelines, approved Wednesday by the state Board of Education, suggest stricter rules for elementary and middle school students before some relaxing at the high school level.
“All too often, our young people find themselves too distracted by their smartphones and disconnected from the reality of what is happening around them, including while in their classrooms, and it’s having negative impacts on their learning and mental well-being,” Lamont said in a statement.
Many parents supported Lamont’s push.
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“They need to concentrate, you know,” said Richard Poole, of Middletown.
Some said they already set rules for how their children can use cell phones once in school.
“We already have a rule that she has to keep it in her locker,” Laura Maisino, of Middletown, said.
Others agreed that they don’t want students to use cell phones in school, but also said they wanted to maintain communication with their children.
“So we can track them and that’s why I like it, but I don’t like kids on their phones during school hours,” Jackie Fournier, of Enfield, said.
Lamont’s guidance comes as school districts are trying to come up with plans.
Glastonbury public schools is planning to notify parents that elementary and middle school students won’t be allowed to use phones during school hours.
The district will relax the rules at the high school, but students still won’t be allowed to use devices in class.
“Those students who maybe didn’t follow the rules who didn’t follow the rules or thought they could do it or maybe get away with it will realize that they’re not going to be able to,” said Glastonbury Superintendent of Schools Alan Bookman.
Other districts are still working on a policy. Cheshire Superintendent Jeffrey Solan is talking with parents about what the town should do.
This includes conversations around the research that social media is harmful to the mental health of children and teenagers.
“I think as a community we’re going have to explore how we remove cell phones, really, K-to-8 [kindergarten to eighth grade] at least,” Solan said.
He said Cheshire won’t have a policy in time for the start of the school year, but hopes making a change mid-year will be easier with community buy-in.
