BIXBY — Over the past three months at school, Carter Storts found herself reaching for her cell phone, but nothing was there.
Like all students in ninth grade and below at Bixby Public Schools, Carter is not allowed to have access to her cell phone throughout the school day. Carter, a ninth-grader, said it was difficult to adjust at first, but now she is grateful for the rule.
“It helps my ability to concentrate and be able to focus on one task,” she said. “Even outside of school, for example when I go home and spend time with my parents, I don’t use my phone that much because I don’t feel the need to. I can concentrate on being present.”
Her colleagues at the Bixby Ninth Grade Center provided similar feedback during a school visit Wednesday from Gov. Kevin Stitt and his education secretary, Nellie Tayloe Sanders.
Stitt and Sanders visited students at Bixby and Jenks Public Schools to discuss their cell phone policies. Both districts recently tightened restrictions on mobile devices, as did other schools in the state.
Students say banning cell phones has been a “good mind detox.”
Stitt has encouraged more Oklahoma schools to find cost-neutral ways to limit student cell phone use.
“I don’t believe in the government’s top-down approach, which is why I just issued an executive order challenging our schools to say, ‘Hey, should we be cellphone-free?’ Will it help with mental health? Will it help with distraction? Are we giving teachers a better classroom environment?’” Stitt said during a roundtable discussion with Bixby teachers.
Sanders similarly expressed concern about whether cell phones are causing more cyberbullying, addictive behavior and mental health issues among students. She and Stitt spent the school tours asking questions about the impact of a phone-free environment, especially whether students found it more liberating.
Bixby ninth-grader Allison Freimuth said removing cellphones from her school has been a “good mind detox.” She said it reduced drama, stress and distraction.
Teachers in the district say they like the change, too. Students are more engaged in class and interact with each other during breaks and lunch, they said.
More: Oklahoma lawmaker says momentum for restricting cellphones in schools is growing
Last year, Bixby students were allowed to access their phones between classes, and it was difficult to get them to refocus once they were at their desks, said Bixby Middle School teacher Simon MacFarlane. An all-day ban on mobile phones has “made a difference”, he said.
“They don’t even check their phones,” MacFarlane said during the roundtable. “They don’t even think about it. For us it is night and day.”
At Jenks High School, students are allowed to check their phone messages between classes. Students indicated that they would like to keep it that way.
They said their cellphones help them stay in touch with their families, keep track of their schedules and coordinate carpools to extracurricular activities.
Jenks senior Addison Dodder said her cell phone was especially crucial during her sophomore year, when her mother was admitted to an intensive care unit. Her father kept her informed of her mother’s condition during the school day.
“I think for things like that it’s important to have access to our phones at certain points, not necessarily so we can check Instagram or see who clicked us (on Snapchat), but just to have that important contact with our parents,” she said.
Jenks has long had rules about cell phone use in the classroom, but enforcement has become lax in recent years, said Superintendent Stacey Butterfield. The district relaxed its policy this year, hoping to eliminate distractions during class.
Interest in a statewide cell phone ban for schools is growing
While other states have implemented blanket cell phone restrictions in schools, Butterfield says she appreciates the flexibility to tailor a policy unique to her district. But legislation on the issue would be welcome, she said.
A statewide restriction on cellphones in schools is gaining traction in the Oklahoma Legislature. Lawmakers have called two interim studies in recent months to discuss methods to limit students’ exposure to digital media, especially during school hours.
“I think having some legislation could be helpful to just amplify what we’re trying to do for children, build healthier children, support healthier children (and) promote healthy growth in our children,” said Butterfield. “However, I think at the same time we have to be careful that one size does not fit all.”
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This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Cell phone bans in some Oklahoma school districts are working, students say
