LACKAWANNA, N.Y. — The problem of cellphones and other electronic devices in the classroom is one that teachers and school administrators are still trying to handle.

“Our policy in previous years, they would only have it on non-instructional times. Now, phones cannot be seen at all,” said Nadia Nashir, Superintendent for the Lackawanna City School District.

In an attempt to solve the problem, Lackawanna High School is issuing a new policy gathering traction elsewhere.

“They’re also going to be given a secure locked pouch, and they’re going to put their cellphone in that pouch and they will only have access to it at the end of the day,” said Nashir. 

What You Need To Know

  • Lackawanna City School District will implement a new policy banning cellphones and electronic devices starting this school year.
  • The policy will have students place their phones in a secure locked pouch which they will not be able to unlock until the end of the school day.
  • A study published in the National Library of Medicine showed that students whose smartphones were physically removed during class had higher levels of course comprehension, lower levels of anxiety and higher levels of mindfulness.

It’s a policy that comes with mixed emotions from students and their parents.

“I think it's good and bad at the same time,” said Skye Frost, a student at Lackawanna High School. “You’re taking away communication. You’re taking away parents' communication.”

“The biggest pro is that the kids will be more attentive in class,” said Erika Rosado-Roman, a parent. “They will get better grades for the ones whose grades do suffer because of the cellphone thing.”

A study published in the National Library of Medicine showed that students whose smartphones were physically removed during class had higher levels of course comprehension, lower levels of anxiety and higher levels of mindfulness. 

“You had teachers who would ask kids, ‘give me your cellphone.’ The kids would argue and the teacher would say, ‘you know what, there are 20 other kids who want to pay attention,’” said Nashir.

“I feel like I’m going to be focused on tests a lot more and my work,” Frost said. “I feel like I’m going to get better grades on my work.”

But parents also want to ensure that safety and clear communication remain a priority.

“For my daughter, the most important thing is her being able to wear her heart monitor, which I use an Apple Watch for her. As long as she can wear that; it does have limited communication,” said Rosado-Roman. 

The policy will have exceptions for students with medical conditions or disabilities, but students who break the rules will face the consequence of their phone being taken.

“We just wanted to get ahead of it and just take the [bandage] off because this is where the state is going,” said Nashir.

“I’m putting my faith in the school and the administrative staff that they will allow the kids to use the phones if absolutely emergent,” Rosado-Roman said.