Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia will be starting a new program for some middle schools to stop students from using cellphones during the school day. This will begin in the 2024-25 school year. Seven schools are included in this program: Frost Middle School, Irving Middle School, Jackson Middle School, Poe Middle School, Robinson Middle School, Thoreau Middle School, and Twain Middle School. The purpose of this program is to reduce distractions in the classroom and improve student focus and learning, as stated on the FCPS website.
Students attending these schools will receive a Yondr pouch during the week of September 2. This pouch is magnetic and will prevent students from accessing their phones for things like social media, text messages, and phone calls. It will be the responsibility of the students to bring their Yondr pouch to school every day and lock their phones in it upon arrival. Airpods must also be kept in the pouch or in the students’ backpacks, and smartwatches should be turned off or put on airplane mode.
In case of a family emergency, parents can contact the school’s front office. The new policy will be in effect throughout the school day, from bell to bell. Students will have their phones with them but will only be able to use them once their pouches are opened at the end of the day at a Yondr unlocking station. If a student forgets their pouch, their phone will be stored in the front office and returned after school. If a pouch is lost or damaged, the student will be charged an $18 replacement fee.
This initiative follows an executive order signed by Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, which directs the Virginia Department of Education to develop guidelines for public schools to establish cellphone-free education. The governor highlighted concerns about the impact of excessive cellphone and social media use on the mental health of adolescents. He believes that limiting phone use in schools will reduce unsupervised screen time for students.
Similar policies are being implemented in other school districts across the country, with some using Yondr pouches to restrict cellphone access during school hours. This trend reflects a growing recognition of the need to address the negative effects of excessive phone use on student well-being and academic performance.
