A week into the new academic year, at least one Anderson educator is praising the impact of a new state law on student cell phone use.
At Monday’s Anderson Community Schools Board meeting, Anderson High School Principal Alan Landes said the state’s “bell-to-bell” cell phone ban has caused an atmospheric shift at the school compared to past years.
AHS students can bring personal electronic devices with them to school, but they must be left in their lockers or in a cubby during the entire school day — from first bell to last.
“I went into the cafeteria every day this week, and when I say I got emotional, I’m not exaggerating,” Landes said.
“I did not see one single phone. But you know what I saw that I haven’t seen in years? Kids at the table talking to each other and having fun and telling stories.”
Landes said many teachers have seen a positive difference in their classrooms.
“I’ve talked with a lot of teachers this week,” he explained, “and they all say the same thing. The kids are sitting in class. They’re engaged. They’re focused.
“When there is down time, they wanted to play games. … They’re drawing. They’re reading books. They’re not on their phones. We have to keep that going.”
Still, Landes noted that not all AHS students are adhering to the new law. On Monday alone, out of the school’s 1,700 students, 21 student cell phones had been confiscated at the high school.
Landes said he believes the school is in “the honeymoon phase” with the bell-to-bell cell phone ban, and he expects to see an uptick in confiscated phones in the coming weeks.
This article appeared in The Herald Bulletin.