A group of students and parents want to overturn a new regulation.

Last week, the School Committee unanimously approved a program that would prohibit students at some Fall River public schools from using cell phones with exceptions.

When students come through the door in the morning, they place their phones, watches, and earbuds in a magnetic Yondr bag that is opened at the end of class. There are medical bags for students who need to access their phone for medical reasons.

Parents who would like to contact their children can call the school office. Alternatively, they can also use the parents’ desk.

The rule will take effect a few weeks after the start of the new school year at Durfee, Talbot, Morton and Kuss schools, as well as in grades six through eight at Henry Lord and John Doran schools.

Kuss Middle School already had a rule in place that all electronic devices must be turned off and kept in the student’s locker for the duration of the school day, with the exception of VILS.
school-issued Chromebook.

Since the announcement, an online petition has been created with nearly 800 electronic signatures, including many from students in the Fall River Public Schools system.

The most common criticisms of opponents of this rule concern safety concerns, concerns about emergencies and the impairment of free communication between parents and students.

Proponents point out that students will be less distracted and there will be less bullying because students cannot coordinate their phones. Older people point out that there were no cell phones when they were in school and they survived.

There are no signs that the school committee plans to reverse course, but that will not stop advocates from making their voices heard.