If you visit a middle school campus in Las Cruces you might be surprised by the lack of one item. Cell phones. Two years ago middle schools across the district decided to stop letting students use phones even when they were not in class.
Debbie Trevizo is the principal at Vista Middle School. Since the district gives each middle school discretion on how to handle phones, Trevizo said she prohibits the phones even during times like lunch to create a better learning environment.
“That really was the time where a lot of the discipline issues were happening. Texting each other and recording things but really the kids are talking to each other now and they are playing kickball, basketball, volleyball. A lot of the behavior issues were happening because the cell phones were out," Trevizo said.
Local middle schools are far from the first to try this out. So far, 15 states have enacted some sort of state wide cell phone ban or restriction with many school districts implementing a variety of restrictions. Studies show that policies like this can boost student performance and reduce bullying.
Vista language arts teacher Kelly Ekstrom says that getting students to adjust to the new policy was a challenge but the results speak for themselves.
“It’s a lot better. We don't have near the behaviors and not a lot of interaction on social media at school but we don't have the same problems we used to have," Ekstrom said.
Some other districts in New Mexico are also trying out this idea. Schools in Taos are experimenting with pouches that lock the phone away during the day and other districts are trying out policies similar to the one being tried in Las Cruces. While students are restricted from using their phone during school hours, they are still allowed to bring phones to school as long as they remain in their backpack.
“Attention span is a lot better because they know they cannot use their phone because they are not allowed and if it is an emergency they can ask but they know its policy they cannot have it," Ekstrom said.
Nicole Waltermire has one child at Camino and another in high school. She says that this 2 year old policy has made the transition easier for her child.
“She’s made new friends. During lunch is really their only chance to socialize and if they had access to their phones I would worry that they would be on their phones instead of actually socializing," Waltermire said.
One concern that some parents have is the inevitability of plans changing throughout the school day. Shelter in places, lockdowns, the weather and a wide variety of other factors can effect after school activities or pick up. Waltermire says that this is solved by the school taking the lead in communication.
“We have had instances where there was a shelter in place and we didn't get that information from our kids but the school let us know that it might affect dismissal. My daughter does have her phone on her at the end of school so I know we can connect for pickup," Waltermire said.
In the last two years, school staff say they have seen less fights, bullying and better attention span. While New Mexico has not implemented any statewide policies, there is talk of action from the federal government taking a step to limit phone use in schools in October.
