Trending
Ohio County Board of Education members are taking the right approach when it comes to considering how to regulate student cellphones at the county's 14 schools -- particularly at Wheeling Park High School. While it's true that cell phones can distract from the learning process in the classroom -- some teachers at Wheeling Park tell of students listening to music and playing games on their phones during class -- taking phones fully away from students isn't feasible, as board member Molly Aderholt explains:
"My impression was that people wanted the kids to have their cellphones between classes and at lunchtime at the high school," Aderholt said. "I don't think that's the case at the middle schools, so I would expect those principals would want to maintain" having no cellphone use permitted.
Ohio County's middle schools do not allow any cell phone use at all. Board member Andy Garber, a retired middle school principal, said middle school principals should have input on the proposal as well.
Cellphone use "was one of our big challenges," he said. "By having them just put their phones away, that takes away some of the anxiety for teachers."
Other states and school districts either have or currently are in the process of enacting similar policies. The goal during the school day -- the goal when students are seated in class -- is for them to learn, free from distraction. Offering that opportunity by limiting phones in class is a needed step.
Ohio County board members must continue to work on this policy and have it ready by the start of the school year. It's in students' best interests.