Every ringing and buzzing of a cell phone in her teachers’ classrooms at Carson Middle School is another distraction, said Principal Amy Robinson, because every ringing and buzzing of a cell phone keeps students from paying attention to the actual class material.

“It seems like we spend a lot of time managing phones instead of focusing on learning,” she said. “That was definitely a problem.”

Eagle Valley Middle School Principal Lee Conley says his school’s long-standing no cell phone rule still results in students sneaking into the school building at any time of day and grabbing their cell phones.

“On average, I probably see five to seven (students) a day trying to hide their phone in their pocket. Then I say, ‘Give me the phone from your left pocket – no, your other left pocket,’ right?”

The Carson City School District announced an initiative Tuesday that will require students’ cell phones and smart devices to be locked in secure bags starting Aug. 19 that students must keep on their person and locked during school hours. Students must turn off their devices, place them in the district-issued bag assigned to them by the school, and keep them in their backpack throughout the school day. The bags will be unlocked at the last bell of the day and students will be able to access their devices again.

The move is intended to reduce digital dependency during the school day and prevent students from reacting hastily to every notification that pops up during the school day, Lee said.

“I think it’s human nature that we’ve become so accustomed to the device being like a third hand to us,” Lee said, adding that it’s important to keep children socially and academically engaged in the classroom.

Superintendent Andrew Feuling hopes the trend will encourage students to practice “digital distancing” and dismissed any concerns about potential litigation from families who have responded “overwhelmingly positively” to the results of previous school visits in other districts.

“Once it’s implemented, there’s almost like a little digital detox phase and they see the benefit of not always having 24/7 access. So if we improve mental health issues and things like that, I think there’s real potential to help kids get unstuck,” Feuling said.

Carson City’s policy follows a nationwide trend in which school districts are trying to reduce students’ reliance on technology in the classroom and increase academic and social interaction. According to a study last year by the national nonprofit Common Sense Media, 97% of children were on their cellphones at least once during school hours, some spending up to six and a half hours during the school day. Cellphone policies, the study found, are not always enforced.

In California, Utah, Oklahoma, Kansas, Florida and elsewhere, measures have been considered on an increasing scale this year. Lawmakers have introduced “cellphone freedom” bills. U.S. Senators Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) and Tim Kaine (D-Virginia) introduced a bill in December that would require a federal study of the impact of cellphone use in schools on students’ mental health and academic performance. The proposed bills address concerns about the growing impact of digital distractions.

The measure, announced by the Carson City School Board on Tuesday, targets Carson High, Carson Middle and Eagle Valley Middle schools. The bags are being provided by San Francisco-based provider Yondr.

Yondr Pouch. (Photo by Jessica Garcia)

Levi Davis, who is entering Carson Middle as a seventh-grader this year, believes it will help him and his classmates. He thought it was fair to students who already use Chromebooks for their classroom technology and said he has never had to use his phone for other academic activities.

“I think it would help a lot of students because there is a lot going on in schools with kids and phones. So I think it will help improve education in schools,” he said.

Addy Perkins, also a seventh-grader at Carson Middle School, said she believes the bags will help discourage students from using their phones to film arguments or other disruptive behavior.

“I don’t think people can text their friends during the day to discuss meeting somewhere or going to the bathroom,” she said. “Plus, some kids use their phones to sneak into class.”

The bags cost CCSD a total of $150,000 from the elementary and secondary school emergency relief fund, which meant savings from the general fund, district spokesman Dan Davis said. Because they were purchased in bulk, the district received a discount. If students or parents are caught tampering with the bags, a $35 fee will be charged.

Carson High’s Blue Crew students, who will help welcome the newcomers and promote school spirit next week, have begun preparing the bags for distribution and use by scanning barcodes and sticking them inside the sleeves. New students will receive their Yondr bags when they pick up Chromebooks and other supplies.

Senior Ryan Vincent said he believes there may be other solutions to help students deal with digital distractions.

“I think there are better solutions, like putting the phones in big boxes, because at least then you can still get to them,” he said.

Spokesman Dan Davis said disciplinary action for students caught using such a device varies from school to school, but ranges from taking the phones to those in front of the class during violations, to parents picking up the phones from school, to expulsion for the third or fourth violation.

Carson High School Principal Dan Carstens said Tuesday that the goal is ultimately to ensure engagement among all students. He said there has been a lot of “legwork” done with staff to ensure the right steps are taken to prepare this policy at the high school level.

“Our children need to communicate verbally with each other, and that’s why we’re doing this,” he said. “It’s not an easy decision. It’s a big challenge, and we wouldn’t do this if we didn’t think it was worth it.”

Carstens said he believes the move brings Carson High School in line with many other schools across the country at a critical time.

“I’m sure parents will say, ‘My child has to have their phone on them at all times,'” he said. “But this year the focus is on increasing engagement in our classrooms because we don’t want to fail as a school system. And when we increase our engagement by banning the phones and increasing our engagement in the classroom, we not only expect the kids to pay attention, but we also make sure we have these highly engaging lessons. Let’s increase our engagement as well.”