TCS implements cell phone use ban at all schools

Stock Image | Dean Moriarty

Transylvania County Schools will implement a new practice this school year which prohibits all school students from using electronic devices from “bell to bell.”

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Transylvania County Schools is implementing a new practice for the 2025-26 school year which will prohibit the use of cell phones and other electronic devices during the school day for all elementary, middle and high school students in the county.

According to a statement released by TCS addressing the new cell phone use rules for all grade levels during the coming school year, schools should be implementing a much stricter “bell to bell” practice which prohibits the use of a variety of wireless devices such as cell phones, tablets, earbuds and smartwatches from the time the school day starts to when students are dismissed.

Students will still be allowed to bring their devices with them to school, the statement said, and will be able to use their phones on school buses and during extra-curricular activities as permitted by coaches and supervisors.

The statement said exceptions can also be granted by school administration on a case-by-case basis for medical reasons and other emergency uses.

The new practice came after a board of education directive was unanimously approved at the board’s meeting Monday. The directive compels the county administration to draft new rules which institute changes toward stricter enforcements which align more closely with future state legislation.

While the practices as laid out in the statement are in place for the start of the coming school year, the board will work to revise the language in Board Policy 4318 to permanently change the board’s official stance.

“The Board recognizes the significant and growing body of research linking excessive screen time and cell phone use to increased adolescent anxiety, depression, social isolation, and academic distraction,” the statement said. “In response, the Board is revising this policy to protect student well-being, promote face-to-face engagement, and ensure classrooms are free from unnecessary technological distractions.”

The board policy now under revision prohibited elementary and middle school students from bringing cell phones to school at all but allowed high school students to bring the devices and use them during lunch periods.

Language in the previous policy did intend to bar high school students from using their phones during classes and class changes, but Assistant Superintendent Brian Weaver said the actual exercise of enforcing these rules has become too lenient at county schools resulting in many students using their electronic devices throughout the day.

“Our high schools currently have it as a summation: ‘not to be used during instructional time’ and then they’re used during lunchtime and class changes,” Weaver said as he addressed the board Monday. “And I think, just honestly speaking, we’ve become a little relaxed on that in our settings, and we need to become a little more vigilant on enforcing our cell phone policies in our schools ... I think having clear and consistent expectations is very important for our students.”

DISCUSSION

The boards’ agenda for Monday’s meeting included a minor policy change to the existing cell phone use policy, but following further discussion by the board members, they all agreed that even stricter policies which would meet or exceed state legislation regarding cell phone use in schools, set to come into effect Jan. 1, should be implemented before the school year started, prompting the board to look at majorly revising their current policy.

“I think it is much easier to begin a school year with a policy than change it in January,” Weaver said.

“It’s easier to loosen up than tighten up,” Superintendent Lisa Fletcher said to add to Weaver’s sentiment.

Board Member Ricky Lambert said during the meeting he has heard from educators across the county about the need for stronger rules.

“This is the one thing we heard as a group. We went and did our tour through the schools at the middle and the high school level,” Lambert said. “‘What’s the one thing that’s interrupting learning that you see?’ It was cell phones across the board. Every school.”

Board Member Ruth Harris said inconsistent enforcement in each school leads to animosity between some students and teachers.

“Specifically, I’ve talked to teachers who say they’re frustrated because there’s some teachers who want to be the good guy, you know, and let them use it (cell phones),” Harris said. “And then that makes the teachers who want to, you know, follow the policy look like the bad guys, and that’s frustrating.”

Board Member Greg Cochran advocated for consistent cell phone rules because of their benefits to student success.

“But in the end, when you do some research and look at it, our schools, our kids do so much better (without cell phones),” Cochran said. “Their academic performance improves, their social skills go up. They’re not glued to a phone.

“To me, it’s just a win-win. It cuts down on bullying. There’s so many reasons why this needs to go into effect. And I know that some students are not going to like it. A lot of parents may not like it.”

During the discussion of the proposed policy changes, Board Member Chris Wiener introduced a multi-page document outlining his proposed major changes to the cell phone use policy which he asked his fellow board members to look over and approve during the same meeting.

Wiener said he did not submit the document previously to the board or school system administration before introducing it in the meeting.

Board Policy 2410 dictates the procedures of policy development for the board of education and includes the following language:

“Any board member, individual, group of citizens, student, or employee may initiate proposals for new policies or changes to existing policies. The initiator must refer the suggestions to the superintendent for study prior to public discussion of the proposal and board action.

“As appropriate in the development of proposed new policies or the revision of existing policies, the superintendent shall seek input from the board attorney, other professionals, school system personnel, parents, students, and citizens.”

Voting on the board policy was already part of the board’s agenda for the night, but Wiener’s major changes to the policy were not included as part of the board’s documents for the meeting.

When asked about his actions in relation to this board policy, Wiener said he did not submit the proposed policy changes before the meeting because he “did not believe it was appropriate to engage in discussions about the policy outside of public view.”

“As I understand North Carolina’s Sunshine Laws, deliberation on such proposals is required to occur publicly,” Wiener said in a later email to The T. Times. “So, when I received the suggestions, I reviewed them and prepared my responses to be shared during the meeting. I also prepared copies for distribution to board members to support an open and transparent discussion.”

Ultimately, Board Attorney Anna Gillespie asked the board to hold off on voting on a policy change in the same meeting it was introduced and instead vote on a directive which advises school administration of their proposed changes and leaves time open to revise the policy while temporary practices can be implemented before the start of the school year.

When asked whether Wiener’s actions were in line with board policy, Gillespie declined to provide a comment to The T. Times, stating the law firm does not provide opinions to third parties.