Waterbury buys 10K pouches to keep phones out of classrooms

WATERBURY, Conn. (WTNH) — Waterbury Public Schools is using a new tool to help keep cellphones out of classrooms.

The Yondr pouch is a small, magnetic bag that allows students to lock up their cellphones and other Bluetooth belongings during the day.

But, the new pouch policy is drawing mixed reactions in the community.

“Kids should be able to get their phones at least when they’re on a recess break or a lunch break and their parents want to get in contact with them,” said Zulma Dejesus, of Waterbury.

Waterbury Deputy Superintendent Darren Schwartz, said nearly 8,500 students in grades six through 12 will use the pouches.

Waterbury Public Schools purchased about 10,000 Yondr pouches with help from federal funding.

Schwartz said the decision to buy the bags comes after seeing students use phones in class and during situations, like school fights or pranks.

“Students would take out their cellphones, and you’d have it captured,” Schwartz said. “Then the student that was possibly traumatized during an event is now reliving it through social media. So, [that student has] to see that event play over and over and over again, because somebody videotaped it and put it online.”

Similar pouch protocols are already in place in some Connecticut school districts, including Torrington and Manchester.

Gov. Ned Lamont is also pushing legislation that would require the state to develop a “model policy” that districts could use.

But what happens if a student places a fake phone in a pouch, then has access to their real phone throughout the school day?

“If you have [the real phone] and we don’t see it, you’re still going to be abiding by the policy, because the policy only really kicks in if we see the technology,” Schwartz said.

Schwartz said, in case of an emergency, parents can still contact the school.

“You’re still going to be able to call the office staff and get ahold of your child, your student,” Schwartz said. “Your child can go to the office and call home.”

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