As a parent and a policymaker, I believe we need to find the right balance when it comes to cellphones in our schools.

Students should be able to learn without the constant distraction of texts, social media, and notifications, and teachers should not have to compete with phones for students’ attention during class. However, I also believe there needs to be a reasonable way for students to communicate with their parents or caregivers during the school day, particularly when there is an emergency.

I recently spoke with The Washington Sun about that balance as part of its examination of Montgomery County Public Schools’ new “bell-to-bell” restrictions on cellphone use as relayed in today's article "Maryland High Schools Are Navigating a ‘Bell to Bell’ Cellphone Ban." MCPS's policy now prohibits students from using phones not only during class, but also during lunch, in between periods, and other non-instructional parts of the school day.

For me, this issue is also deeply personal. During the shooting and lockdown at Wootton High School last year, my son was in a barricaded classroom while the shooter was still at large. As I told The Washington Sun, I view the issue “through a slightly different lens” because of that experience. I cannot overstate how important it was to me, as his father, to be able to text with him, hear directly from him that he was OK and stay connected with him during those frightening moments.

That experience does not change my belief that phones should be put away while students are learning. It does reinforce my belief that we should be thoughtful about an absolute restriction throughout the entire school day and make sure students can access their phones when there is a legitimate or urgent need.

MCPS told The Washington Sun that principals can temporarily lift the cellphone restriction during an emergency. The school system is also still working through differences in implementation, including whether phones are kept in backpacks, lockers, classroom caddies or locked pouches. MCPS said it expects those inconsistencies to be addressed before the statewide requirement takes effect next school year.

I also think there is an important distinction between classroom instruction and the rest of the school day. Keeping phones away while a teacher is teaching makes sense to me. Lunch, advisory periods and other non-instructional times raise different questions, particularly for high school students who may need to communicate with a parent or caregiver about transportation, appointments, work, family responsibilities or other legitimate matters.

Maryland law now requires every county Board of Education to adopt a policy restricting smartphones and similar devices during the school day beginning with the 2027-28 school year. The law includes exceptions for certain circumstances, including disabilities, health needs, translation, and caregiving responsibilities. Montgomery County chose to implement its policy a year earlier.

This issue is an MCPS policy, not a City of Rockville policy; however, this policy directly affects students and families throughout our community. I fully support the goal of reducing unnecessary distractions in the classroom. I also believe implementation should include common sense and recognize the legitimate need for communication between students and their families.

Those two goals do not have to be in conflict. We can give teachers and students a better learning environment while also making sure families can stay connected when circumstances genuinely require it.

I appreciated the opportunity to share that perspective with The Washington Sun as MCPS continues working through how the new policy operates in practice.

Read the full Washington Sun article

https://www.washingtonsun.com/metro/maryland-high-schools-cellphone-ban