The Howard County Board of Education voted last week to prohibit the use of cellphones during the school day for all students at all levels, amending the school system’s personal technology policy in place since 2020.

“If cellphones weren’t a problem in the classroom, we wouldn’t even be having this discussion,” said Jen Mallo, District 4 board member, at the Jan. 30 school board meeting. “So we know that they are and we know that we have an obligation to make our schools and our classrooms the safest that we can, as well as move the system towards the healthiest it can be for our students.”

From the first bell of the school day to the last, students in elementary, middle and high schools must keep their personal devices silenced and away and “ensure they are not a distraction.” Students are allowed to wear smartwatches, as long as they are used only to check the time and don’t cause distraction. Administrators may permit students to use cellphones in cases of an emergency or if included in a student’s Section 504 plan, Individualized Education Plan or Health Plan.

Though some board members raised concerns, the policy changes passed with a vote of 7-1. Board Chair Jolene Mosley was the only opposing vote. She argued that removing the use of cellphones during noninstructional time for high school students could jeopardize safety. She said some students may need to communicate with their families in case of emergencies such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents conducting enforcement actions, which Mosley said she heard recently occurred in public spaces.

“We’re in very uncertain times right now, and it is not always [possible] for parents to be able to call the front desk, then to have the front desk come get their child, then to tell their child what the plan is for that emergency that’s happening right now,” Mosley said. “And I think in this time of uncertainties, taking that away where a student in high school cannot check their phone during lunch and in between classes can be dangerous.”

The new policy will take effect March 3, giving the school system a month to make everyone in the school community aware and prepared for the changes.

“[Putting the policy in place for] the rest of the second semester would allow us to explore some of those ‘what ifs,’ learn from the schools that are implementing the policy, and then be able to make adjustments this summer, if necessary,” Brian Bassett, director of communication and engagement for the school system, explained to the board.

The policy changes also included adjustments to the Student Code of Conduct for enforcement and confiscation of personal devices.

Last summer, an advisory work group was convened to review the district’s policies and procedures and make recommendations as schools continued to navigate the impacts of cellphones and social media use.

The work group’s recommendations were presented to the board in November, suggesting that elementary and middle school students always keep devices off and away while high school students could use devices between classes and during lunch. It was recommended that smartwatches could be worn, but could not be a distraction. Rather than cast a final vote in November, the board opted for another public hearing and a review by the board’s policy committee.

Adjustments from the policy committee, composed of board members Antonia Watts, Mallo and student board member James Obasiolu, included making all grade levels have consistent guidelines, eliminating the ability for high schoolers to use cellphones during noninstructional time.

“I know that teachers are counting on us,” Mallo said. “Teachers are counting on us to take action, and there are lots of environments that we are in as adults, where it might take a few minutes to make us accessible in the case of an emergency and we know in the case of a student emergency that they are going to be safer not having access to their cellphone.”

Board member Meg Ricks, District 1, argued that there should be more flexibility for cellphone use in high schools. And though Linfeng Chen, an at-large board member, expressed full support for the policy, he noted that there’s a need for older students to learn how to self-regulate device usage as they get closer to entering college and the workforce.

Still, there was consensus among most of the board that cellphone usage must be curtailed. The policies can procedures around personal device usage can still change as the district learns what works best through the implementation process, Bassett said.

“There’s so many variables that go into it working for different districts, size of schools, there’s so many things,” Bassett said. “And so we’ve got to figure out what works for Howard County.”

Have a news tip? Contact Kiersten Hacker at khacker@baltsun.com.