Phones are a pervasive and unavoidable part of everyday life, but what should be their place in schools?
Johnson County school districts have been trying to answer that question in recent months, adjusting their policies and implementing new rules for how and when students can use their personal electronic devices during the school day.
Are these policies an appropriate response to fears that phones are a distraction and even a danger in the schoolhouse? Are schools going too far or not going far enough?
The Johnson County Post is convening educators, parents, students and mental health professionals for a live, in-person discussion about the ramifications of phones in Johnson County schools and whether recent approaches to dealing with them are going in the right direction or falling short of what is needed.
The details
- When: Tuesday, April 15 @ 6 p.m.
- Where: Central Resource Library, 9875 W. 87th St., Overland Park
- Who: A panel moderated by Post editor Kyle Palmer, featuring Johnson County educators, students, parents and mental health professionals
Tell us you’re thinking of coming at our Facebook event page. However, RSVP is not required.
The bigger context
Johnson County public school districts in recent years have instituted new rules on personal electronic devices during the school day, mirroring moves made by districts across the country.
Most recently, Shawnee Mission this semester approved a new policy that limits students’ phone use at school. The rules vary by grade level but, in general, students are to have their personal devices stowed away, unseen and silenced, during class.
That mirrors policies in Blue Valley and Olathe that have also taken effect this school year.
As phones have grown more ubiquitous in modern life, educators and parents alike have grown increasingly worried and frustrated at their impact on learning.
Supporters of stricter rules and outright bans on phones in schools say smartphones — and the easy access to social media they provide — create distractions in class and can also worsen conflicts between students, leading to fights and bullying, and exacerbating negative effects on students’ mental health.
Some states, including Florida and Indiana, have instituted statewide bans on cellphones in schools. Governors in other states, from Iowa to New York, have also called for similar moves.
But skeptics of phone crackdowns see such bans as a blunt one-size-fits-all approach that doesn’t address deeper underlying issues — like teen mental health and bullying — and makes it harder to teach kids appropriate phone use.
Why we’re doing this
For years, the Post has hosted public forums featuring candidates running for local office during election seasons.
We feel these events not only give our readers direct access to those who would hold power in their communities, but they also create a shared communal space where residents of Johnson County can come together in conversation, even if they hold divergent viewpoints.
This event is a bit different but is still guided by this same belief that we can have dialogue and disagreement and still remain one Johnson County community.
Earlier this year, we polled readers who are part of our “Commit to Community” circle about what topics they’d like to see be the subject of new Johnson County Post forums.
Phones in schools was one of the topics these readers came up with, but there were more hot-button issues that readers and residents care about.
We plan to host at least one more topic-driven town hall later this year.
If you have ideas about what topics we should focus on, let us know at stories@johnsoncountpost.com.
