As students and teachers adapt to the new school year, Niles West and Niles North face a controversial issue– cell phones. A school board meeting was held at the District 219 Administrative Center on Aug. 6 where the topic of cell phones in school was discussed.
Board members were joined at the meeting by school administrators and members of the public. The meeting began with community members making statements on the topic.
“There’s an academic, mental health and teaching crisis that can be improved effectively with a single strategy, removing students personal mobile devices from our places of learning with exceptions for those with special education or medical needs,” Skokie parent Brad Bressler said.
Parents of students are not the only ones concerned with phone usage; Teachers are as well.
“Our efforts to provide students with the best education possible is being undermined by the constant dopamine hit from text messages, Snapchats and other electronic interruptions,” computer science teacher Matthew Fahrenbacher said.
Some teachers, including Fahrenbacher, have required the use of cell phone caddies in their classrooms.
“All academic classrooms should be furnished with cell phone caddies,” Fahrenbacher added. “We recognize that cell phones can have academic purposes, and we agree that students should be able to use them when given appropriate permission by their teacher, but we also believe that the negative impact cell phones are having on our students cannot be ignored.”
Freshman Meriam Choubkha, on the other hand, believes that cell phones should be allowed to help navigate the school day.
“I need my phone because sometimes I forget what class I have [and] our schedules are on there. Sometimes, I don’t have my ID on me,” Choubkha said.
Niles West Principal Jeremy Christian told board members that all Niles West classrooms will have cell phone caddies available.
“If a teacher wants to utilize [a cell phone caddy] as a resource, we definitely will support them. However, there are some teachers that utilize cell phones within their classroom environments, and we want to support them in their autonomy,” Christian said.
Christian reminded students and parents of the District 219 cell phone policy in his weekly newsletter on Sunday, Aug. 18.
“All electronic devices must be powered off, silenced, and kept out of sight during the regular school day unless specific permission is granted by the supervising teacher or the Building Principal,” Christian said.
There are certain exceptions to the policy. According to Christian, phones are allowed in the following scenarios:
“Teacher permitted use during instructional actives, use specified in a student’s IEP, emergencies that threaten the safety of students, staff or others, respectful use of cell phones in hallways during passing periods, in the cafeteria and the student activities center/office during lunch. Phones must always be on vibrate or silent,” Christian said.
Christian also made the consequences for non-compliance clear in his newsletter to the school. There are three offenses for misbehavior.
“First offense: The device will be confiscated until the end of the school day, and the student may retrieve it. Second offense: The device will be confiscated until the end of the school day, and a parent must retrieve it. Third offense: The student will lose privileges for using electronic devices for a period determined by the school administration,” Christian said.
