Hanover could become first Richmond-area district to ban cellphones in schools

Hanover County School Board is scheduled to vote Tuesday on its proposed new cell phone policy , which would prohibit all students from using their phones during school hours, including between classes and at lunch.

Why it matters: If it passes, Hanover will be the first in metro Richmond to enact a district-wide cell phone ban for students.

The big picture: Cities, states and school districts across the nation are passing sweeping bans on cellphones in schools to get kids to pay attention during class and socialize with their peers IRL.

• These policies have ramped nationwide in the last year as experts and educators increasingly raise the alarm about how disruptive they are to instruction time, despite being a useful learning tool and essential parent lifeline.
• Florida and Indiana were the first states to ban phone use in schools. California and New York may soon follow.
• Los Angeles voted to enact a ban that'll start this spring. New York City — the nation's largest school district, with 1.1 million students — plans to follow suit.

Zoom in: Locally, Richmond Public Schools began a cell phone pouch pilot program in six schools in January , and Henrico County voted last month to apply stricter consequences to students using phones during the school day.

• This fall, Stafford , King William , Loudoun and Fairfax counties are among those that will begin the new school year with more stringent policies for student cell phone use.
• Of note: All districts allow exceptions for instructional purposes or medical needs.

Case study: Orange County, Florida, was one of the first districts to ban phones throughout the school day — not just during class time, per the New York Times.

• Before the ban, "students rarely looked up from their devices as they walked down school hallways," the Times reported. "Some teenagers covertly filmed their classmates and spread the videos on apps like Snapchat."
• "We saw a lot of bullying," Marc Wasko, the principal of Timber Creek High School in Orlando, told the paper. "We had a lot of issues with students posting, or trying to record, things that went on during school time."
• Since the ban, students "now make eye contact and respond" when the principal greets them, and "teachers said students seemed more engaged in class."

Yes, but: Parents are actually the biggest obstacle to cellphone bans in schools — they want to be able to reach their kids and keep track of them.

• Students (naturally) don't want to give up their phones, but many agree that no-phone policies help them stay focused.
• Teachers and administrators are thrilled with the government-mandated restrictions — but worry about being turned into phone cops, policing their schools for contraband.

Between the lines: The debate over phones in schools is tied to the debate over whether social media is causing depression and other mental health problems in children.

The bottom line: It's clear that nobody has figured out the right role of phones in schools, which is essential now that these devices are such an integral part of our lives.