WHEELING, W.Va. — The Ohio County Board of Education has approved a policy prohibiting the use of cell phone use by students at Wheeling Park High School while in the classroom.
The policy was unanimously passed by board members on Tuesday, and it has different rules for high school students compared to elementary and middle schoolers.
The use of cell phones during the school day will not be permitted for elementary and middle school students. On the other hand, high school students in Ohio County will be allowed to bring their cell phones and use them before the school day begins, in between classes, during lunch break, and when classes are dismissed. The students will place their cell phones in specific holders upon entering a classroom.
Phones will be confiscated if there are any infractions of the new rules, and additional punishments are further discussed in student handbooks at each school.
Ohio County School Board President David Croft says everyone was in agreement that this was the right policy.
“Our entire board, our central office all agreed that that’s the best policy,” Croft said on MetroNews “Talkline” with Hoppy Kercheval. “It’s disrespectful to the teachers and you can’t possibly learn if you’re on your phone.”
Croft says there has been a little bit of pushback on the policy, but not much.
“There were a few parents that preferred having constant communication and connectivity with their kids, but a vast majority of the parents understood, so we’ve had very little serious pushback on the policy,” Croft said.
The discussion on the topic was centered around Wheeling Park High School, where students will still be able to have their phones throughout the day. The only times it will be banned at the high school level will be when a student is in a classroom.
Croft says learning is near impossible when students are distracted by their phones in the middle of class.
“The ability to learn while kids are texting one another or watching ballgames or movies or listening to music, is significantly hampered, if possible, at all,” Croft said. “It gives it a much better chance.”
The new rules will go into effect in Ohio County schools this year.