SALT LAKE CITY — Following up on a promise he made last month, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox recently sent letters to schools and districts across the state, urging them to take steps to curb students' cell phone usage.
Cox shared his concerns about harmful effects of social media and asked principals, district leaders and others to remove cell phones from classrooms.
“We all know that cell phones are a distraction and when we put phones away we can actually focus and study,” Cox said in a statement. “Cell phone-free learning environments will help our teachers teach and our students learn. We want to give our schools every opportunity to succeed."
The governor said he wants to have students keep their phones in their lockers or their backpacks during class time.
"By and large, we know that things improve at least giving kids a break from 6-7 hours a day when they’re in the classroom," Cox said in a news conference last month.
He also gave examples of schools with specific phone policies that he says have been effective.
Delta High School in the Millard School District was one such success story cited by Cox. According to Cox's announcement Wednesday, this school has sstudents put their phones in a clear pocket at the front of each classroom.
“It was a battle to begin with, but it has been so worth it," Assistant Principal Jared Christensen said. "Students and parents have all adapted, our teachers are happier and learning has increased.”
Evergreen Junior High in the Granite School District does not allow phones to be out at all — not even in halls or lunchrooms.
“It’s so much easier to just ban them altogether,” said Principal Ryan Shaw. “Learning has improved, and our scores reflect that. Bullying and fighting have decreased. The students connect with each other in a more meaningful way. We are grateful for the support we have from our community council — it’s been critical.”
Cox said in his letter that Evergreen's success with their policy was thanks in part to collaboration with the parents, and he encouraged others to follow that example and involve their students' parents.
A bill was introduced in the Utah State Legislature last year to ban phones from classrooms, but it did not pass.
