By LINDA CHION KENNEY
Months after Hillsborough school officials put in force its latest cell phone usage policy, state Sen. Danny Burgess, a Republican representing parts of Hillsborough and Pasco counties, has introduced a bill that, if enacted, would tighten restrictions further.
Senate Bill 1296 calls upon the state commissioner of education to coordinate with six school districts, large, small and medium-sized, to enact policies for the 2025-26 school year that “prohibit the use of cell phones and other personal electronic devices by students during the entire school day, while on school grounds or while engaged in school activities off school grounds during the school day.” The aim is to inform a “model policy” for school districts and charter schools to adopt.
Meanwhile, in time for the 2024-25 school year, Hillsborough school board members approved a policy that students must silence and stow away their devices, unless a teacher or staff member allows phone use for educational purposes.
Exemptions allowed mirror as well those noted in Burgess’ bill proposal, such as for students with disabilities who are English language learners, when necessary for health reasons, on school buses before and after school hours and for students engaged in extracurricular activities outside of the school day.
The Hillsborough policy also allows for some educator discretion and for high school students to use their phones during lunch.
Lynn Gray, in discussion at a March 4 school board workshop, raised the issue that Hillsborough could be one of the state’s test districts, although the “human help” it would take to enforce a stricter enforcement, especially so at lunch, would have to be considered.
Superintendent Van Ayres, at the March 4 workshop, said he was not hearing back that having cell phones at lunch “is causing our administrators in schools problems.”
Gray countered that the issue is greater than whether or not administrators are putting out fires. The issue, she said, is “when you deal with mental health and what is happening with our children with cell phone usage.”
School board member Nadia Combs said the issue of logistics comes to bear. As Combs related, one well-respected principal told her, “Ms. Combs, we have so much to deal with, this is a rule that’s non-enforceable.”
As for cell phone usage in the classroom, Combs said it might prove well to ensure that students put their cell phones in pocket wall hangings at the start of class, to pick up after class has ended.
“We want to make sure [students] are engaging, communicating with the teacher,” Combs said. Using technology is important, she added, but so, too, “the traditional type of teaching.”
School board member Patti Rendon said with the policy as it now stands, flexibility is key, including not to eliminate phone usage during lunch for high school students.
If and “until we are mandated by law, I agree to leave it as it stands,” Rendon said. “We’re not seeing a rise in fighting during lunch . . . and we have flexibility within this policy that gives flexibility to our principals to mandate as they choose.”
Henry “Shake” Washington drew upon his experience as a high school principal to inform his view that unless the state requires a stricter phone usage policy, Hillsborough should stick with its current policy.
“Number one, what are we going to do,” Washington said. “Expel a kid or change placement for a kid, or suspend a kid for cell phones?”
As for her concerns, school board member Stacy Hahn said if legislators truly want a stricter cell phone policy, then district officials should get on the phone today to counter that assessment.
With a hyper-focus on bullying, fights, mental health issues and more, Hahn said, “we forget that’s not the majority of our kids” doing those things.
Ayres said the district’s first year with its new cell phone policy has gone well, and that whatever policy the board approves, “our staff and team will drive that policy.” He instructed chief of staff Rick Grayes to survey schools on the policy so he could report back to the board on its findings.