ABINGTON TOWNSHIP, PA — School Superintendent Jeffrey Fecher has informed the school community that cell phone use in classrooms will be prohibited during the 2024-2025 school year.

The Superintendent recently provided an update regarding student cell phone use at school during the most recent School Board meeting and sent the message to the school community the following day.

“As you may know, several states across the country, as well as individual school districts, have enacted bans or restrictions on cell phone use in schools,” Fecher said. “While no such legislation has yet been enacted in Pennsylvania, there are several proposed bills that have been debated in the state House of Representatives and Senate.”

The superintendent said he has asked school leaders to develop plans to reduce distractions in the classroom, as new laws may be on the horizon and many parents and guardians have concerns about how frequently students may access their phones during the day.

The plans are as follows:

• At the elementary levelPrincipals will maintain the no cell phone policy during the school day and will address individual concerns as they arise in grades K-5.
• At the middle and high schoolCell phone holders are purchased for use in classrooms. This means that every time students enter a classroom, they place their phone in a pocket on the holder, which they can then retrieve before leaving the classroom.

Principals Daniel File and Alice Swift will share implementation details with families before the start of the school year, including exceptions for students who rely on their phones for health or accessibility reasons.

The superintendent said the school district will continue to monitor the bill, which is currently moving through the state legislature, to see if any changes to the plans are needed.

He also said that, as with all newly introduced procedures, school management will evaluate the effectiveness of the initiative and make adjustments if necessary.

“We believe these changes will benefit our students socially and emotionally and help them avoid distractions in class, as there is growing evidence of how cell phones negatively impact students’ mental health over time. Among other things, they are the focus of the Abington School District Leadership Team’s summer reading book, ‘The Anxious Generation,’ by social psychologist Jonathan Haidt,” the superintendent said.

“We appreciate the support and understanding of our parents and guardians as we implement these new procedures for the benefit of our entire school community, especially our students, teachers and staff,” his statement concluded.