Dr. James Crisfeld says that society is 'punting' the cell phone challenge to schools
When it comes to technology in the hands of children and teens, there is plenty of controversy, and there is no place that heads may butt more than inside our area schools. As Wissahickon School District students head back into the classroom this week, it is a topic still being argued throughout the state. Should schools take a stance on cell phones and their students?
Wissahickon’s superintendent doesn’t think so.
Pennsylvania State Senator Ryan Aument, the majority whip serving Lancaster County areas, introduced a state bill to limit access to phones back in May.
“While it’s great that the commonwealth dedicated an additional $100 million last year to schools to care for students’ mental health, that money won’t go very far unless we get at the root cause of the problem,” said Aument in a release on his website. “Because we know how widespread access to Smartphones and social media apps increases depression, anxiety, feelings of isolation, and even suicidal thoughts in teens and children, my bill is a commonsense approach to improve student mental health and academic performance alike.”
By July, the state’s legislature passed a bill to allow grant money to be available for Pennsylvania public school districts. The grants would permit schools to purchase special “pouches” that would hold Smartphones during the day as students are in school.
But, Wissahickon will not be applying for such grants, according to a report in the Philadelphia Inquirer. While the grant applications for pouches opened Aug. 8, Dr. James Crisfeld, the superintendent of Wissahickon School District has already said it is not something his district will be looking into anytime soon.
“In my professional opinion, I think that’s a ridiculous idea,” said Crisfeld to the Inky. “Kids walk into the school with their cell phones – who is going to supervise and ensure that everyone puts their cell phones in a pouch?”
Per the Wissahickon School District’s “Code of Student Conduct (K-12)” on its website, cell phones are not to be disruptive in any classroom setting.
“The use of the electronic device should not be disruptive to other students or faculty/staff,” reads the code. “None of these devices should be used in classrooms without express consent from the classroom teacher as part of instruction.”
The same sentiments are echoed in the Student Handbook. In the district’s high school handbook, rules instruct students to put cell phones into a “phone hotel” upon entering each classroom.
“Cell phones are allowed during school hours, but only during study hall, lunches, and in the hallway during a passing period,” reads the handbook. “Students should not text students that are in class, nor should they call/text home about leaving school without first seeing the nurse or the Attendance Office.”
Crisfeld said that these “hotels” are made available in each room, hanging on the classrooms’ doors or walls when students enter.
“If the problem we’re trying to solve is reduced distractions during class time, I think we in Wissahickon are making great headway with that,” he said. “If the problem we’re trying to solve is addiction to social media, we’re not solving that with policies in a school setting.”
According to the Inquirer report, Crisfeld said that the debate on cell phones in schools is “another example of how society is, in a sense, punting to schools to find a solution.”
