At the halfway point of the school year, Broward County Public Schools is evaluating the impact of its controversial cellphone policy implemented at the start of the academic year. Students are prohibited from using their phones during the school day, even during lunch breaks, unless there’s an emergency.
According to school district reports, the ban has had noticeable effects on both academic performance and student behavior. Academic metrics are reportedly improving, and incidents of school fights have decreased. Dan Katz, a drama and law instructor at Fort Lauderdale High School, has observed enhanced engagement and creativity among his students in the absence of cellphone distractions. Katz noted, “I’ve noticed a lot more creativity with students. Their attention spans are a little longer, and they have excellent conversations in their groups, those conversations are lasting longer, our class discussions are definitely a lot longer and they’re a lot deeper because no one’s really focused on checking their phone.”
The district has allowed some exceptions to the rule, but phones must remain on airplane mode throughout the day. Dr. Allen Zeman, a school board member, highlighted a 17% reduction in school fights compared to the previous year, attributing this decline to the restrictive cellphone policy. Zeman explained, “The lack of cellphones leads to fewer fights, fights with fewer people that last fewer minutes, and it also reduces cyberbullying. It stops the recording of fights, which prevents people from avoiding conflict resolution.”
As the school year progresses, the district aims to further analyze how this policy impacts various aspects of school life. Dr. Zeman emphasized that academic gains are seen widely across the district, corroborating Katz’s experiences. “This year, at the halfway point, our gains are greater than they were last year,” Zeman stated. A teacher even expressed for the first time in a decade that she had the complete attention of her students during lectures.
Broward County’s cellphone ban reveals significant improvements in student behavior and academic performance, suggesting a positive shift in the school environment. As the district continues to monitor this policy, the findings could influence decisions in other districts. The outcome suggests that limiting digital distractions holds potential to enhance educational experiences.
Source: Nbcmiami
