Cherry Hill school district bans all wireless devices for students

As a new school year is about to begin, some South Jersey schools are kicking it off with bans on electronic devices during class, but some districts are taking it a step further.

The Cherry Hill Township School District will ban the use of all wireless communication devices during classroom instruction.

The district-wide policy prohibits cell phones and any device that transmits and receives voice or data via electromagnetic signals without the use of wires or cables, including smartwatches, ear buds, and wireless headphones.

Students can still keep their devices with them at school, but they must put them away in a locker or backpack, according to the policy.

“For a very long time now teachers have cited concerns around attention and focus and just things that detract from the learning process,” Superintendent Dr. Kwame Morton said.

But, students are permitted to use those devices during lunch, between classes, at recess, or during co-curricular activities.

Smart watches can still be worn, but are prohibited for anything other than keeping time during class.

According to the Pew Research Center, “one-third of public K-12 teachers say students being distracted by cellphones is a major problem in their classroom.”

Some former students, like Colette Paoli, a recent graduate from Haddonfield, believe there should be fewer restrictions on high schoolers.

“Anything goes wrong because of it or they miss class time and attention and their grades go down, then that’s their repercussions for their actions,” Paoli said. “They need to learn now before they enter the adult world and the workforce.”

The policy has some exceptions.

Students with an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) that requires a wireless communication device can use one.

There is also an exception for students who need to use a wireless communication device to monitor a health condition.

Any student who violates the policy will face the school’s disciplinary policy.

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