SAN DIEGO (KGTV) – Kids are heading back to the classroom for another school year and with that a signal from Sacramento is being sent from Governor Gavin Newsom.
Newsom urging all school districts to restrict cell phones in the classroom.
“I think it’s a great call. Kids are here to learn. They’re here to focus on their schoolwork, hang out and socialize with friends. And, at this point, I don’t think that includes social media,” Fabiola Coronel, a parent of young school children said. “I think that if a real emergency, you’re going to have access to the school, authorities. You’re going to have another way to communicate with them.”
“I support this movement to limit phone in school,” State Superintendent Tony Thurmond of the California Dept. Of Education said.
Thurmond issuing a similar call to action to Newsom’s.
“It’s well documented that students are using their phones in school that a way that is often a distraction,” Thurmond said.
Los Angeles Unified School District - the largest in the state - already has a policy of banning phones on campuses going into effect in 2025.
Locally, San Diego and Coronado Unified School District’s existing policies say cell phones have to be turned off during class time.
ABC 10News asked on our Facebook page if this is something people would want to see in our local district.
Many comments say students should have their phones in case of emergencies but not use them during class hours.
“I remember when as a parent they said hey your student’s going to have to put their phone in a pouch. And that was my first concern what about safety?” Thurmond said. “You know I think there are ways to have a phone in the classroom when there needs to be a phone available for safety that’s different than every student being on phone.”
