It’s up to the principals of each school in Deer Valley Unified School District to decide campus policy for students and their cellphones.
Some schools in recent years have implemented a no-cellphone policy on their campus. Those principals are following research that suggests students need a break from their cellphones in order to fully concentrate on their tasks and assignments, Deer Valley Unified Superintendent Dr. Curtis Finch said Friday.
“Our approach at this time is to let the building principals make those decisions,” Finch added.
Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne is looking to have his office be in charge of that policy.
Horne this week took another look at legislation to ban student cellphone use in classrooms across the state. The proposed bill echoes House Bill 2793 that was vetoed by Gov. Katie Hobbs last session.
The bill was sponsored by District 28 Republican Rep. Beverly Pingerelli, whose district includes portions of Glendale, Peoria, Phoenix and Surprise, as well as Sun City and Sun City West. The bill would have restricted student access to social media platforms on school Internet and limit uses of personal and school-provided wireless communication devices outside of teacher instruction.
Pingerelli previously served on the Peoria Unified School District governing board from 2014-2022.
Deer Valley Unified Superintendent Dr. Curtis Finch and District 28 Republican Rep. Beverly Pingerelli.
In the coming legislative session, Horne says he will push for cellphones to be inaccessible to students throughout the school day. The bill looks to bypass existing Arizona laws that give local education organizations the power to create rules around cellphone use.
Deer Valley Unified addresses cellphones in the district’s Student Rights & Responsibilities 2024-2025 Handbook.
“Students are discouraged from bringing personal devices, such as cellphones, ear buds, gaming devices, etc., to school or school sponsored events as the Deer Valley Unified School District assumes no responsibility for items lost, stolen, or damaged,” the Handbook reads. “Electronic devices including cellphones may not be used on the bus as they are often used inappropriately and therefore may divert the attention of the bus driver.”
Deer Valley Unified schools can also issue additional guidance, such as that from Sonoran Foothills, an elementary school in Phoenix, which added to its own campus policy.
“Students are not permitted to use cellphones during school hours unless directed by a teacher (this includes classrooms, common areas, lunch, and recess),” the Sonoran Foothills policy states. “While we understand that there are times you need to communicate with your child, all communication with your child should be through the office. Please do not text or call your child's cellphone during school hours. Students not feeling well need to report to the nurse's office – not contact a parent to pick them up.”
Sonoran Foothills adds that cellphones are to be put away while students are on campus unless a teacher has given permission.
Violations against these rules can range from a warning for a first offense to, if a fourth instance occurs, taking the phone from the student and keeping it in the office where only a parent or guardian can pick it up in a conference to discuss the student’s cellphone privileges moving forward.
In committee meetings discussing the original bill, representatives across party lines agreed student distractions through phones was a problem and that the solution was unclear.
“We already have laws on the books, we already know that teachers are going to have to enforce this and be the bad guys,” Democratic Rep. Judy Schwiebert said. “I think we all agree that cellphones are a problem, but I don’t know that passing a new rule is going to fix the problem.”
The bill passed through the House and Senate on Republican votes alone and was voted against by all but one Democrat, who abstained from voting.
“The district is operated with the local control of the governing board members who are elected by our community,” Finch said. “This board is presented with and approves our district policies. As the superintendent, I implement the board policies and design administrative regulations that are in the best interest of our students.”
Mary Goldmeer contributed to this report.
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Steve Stockmar News Editor | Sun Life Magazine & Arts & Entertainment
YourValley.net
Meet Steve Steve Stockmar joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in 2017, and has been an Arizona journalist for almost 30 years. He serves as editor of Sun Life Magazine and contributes to West Valley communities where he focuses mostly on arts & culture, education, and profiles of neighbors making a difference.
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