State offering $50,000 to CO school districts that restrict phones in classrooms

DENVER — The Colorado Attorney General's Office is offering $50,000 to school districts that create a policy restricting phone usage in classrooms.

Smartphones can have many negative impacts on teenagers — stress, anxiety, sleep deprivation and depression. They can also be a distraction in class.

A Pew Research Center study found that 72% of U.S. high school teachers say cellphone distraction is a major problem in the classroom.

"One of the challenges we have for young people is they are on their phones, on social media apps, all the time, and it's making them feel worse. That includes in schools," said Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser. "We want schools to think carefully. What's your plan? Are you allowing these phones to interfere with the learning environment? Allowing students to create drama and harm themselves and basically not be their best selves? That's why we're asking schools to think creatively, and we have $50,000 per school district to do better than we're doing now."

The state will provide $50,000 to each school district in order to enact a plan. The AG's office said the funding comes from the nearly $32 million settlement it received from Juul after an investigation found the vape maker targeted young people in its marketing and misrepresented the health risks of their products.

Weiser said there is proof out on the West Slope that this can work.

Mesa County Valley School District 51 enacted a new phone policy this school year. Students in kindergarten through 8th grade are not allowed to have personal devices at school during the school day. Those in 9th through 12th grade are prohibited from using devices during instructional time but may use them between classes and during lunch, though that is also discouraged.

Superintendent Brian Hill said the policy is working well so far.

"The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. And that's not just from families and staff but also hearing directly from students. They're just reporting that kids are paying more attention in class. They're actually socializing more with one another," said Hill.

Feedback heard nationally when discussing the removal of phones from classrooms is a concern that parents will not be able to communicate with their children during a lockdown or school emergency. Denver7 spoke with students with those same concerns.

"I think that part of the problem with banning smartphones is that students don't really feel safe in school, and communicating with family if there ever is an issue is a part of the anxiety," said Grace Taub, a senior at Denver's East High School.

Hill said schools still have landlines so parents can always get in touch with their students. He argues that smartphones don't really help in an emergency.

"We've been really clear that in those situations, safety and security experts actually don't want our child on the phone. They want your child paying attention to the adult in the room. They don't want them spreading potential misinformation," said Hill.

Could this grant program help students focus in class again and get them out from under the weight of their phones? Weiser said something has to.

"I know that too many people are spending too much time distracted by their phones, not having interpersonal relationships, not concentrating on school. I am afraid about our future right now," Weiser said. "By controlling when these phones are interfering with learning, giving people a break from them, we're helping our young people have a better chance to succeed."

The Colorado Attorney General's Office is gauging school district interest in the program. It expects to start distributing grant money early next year.

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