VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Earlier this week, it became clear how the current cell phone policy for Virginia Beach Public Schools is functioning.
New violation numbers have been reported compared to the previous school year, prior to the recent policy change, which was established under Governor Glenn Youngkin's Executive Order 33.
Last year, students in elementary and middle schools were not permitted to use phones during the school day, while high school students were allowed to use them only during lunch.
This past school year in Virginia Beach Schools, there were 6,684 violations of cell phone use compared to 1,660 from the year before.
Virginia Beach schools will implement a bell-to-bell policy, meaning all students will no longer be allowed to use phones during school hours starting the next school year.
“Parents will notice that they are able to have their phones with them on the bus, and they are able to communicate then,” said Matt Cummings, a member of the school board. “But once the bell starts, that's when we're expecting students to put away their phones and focus in the classroom. They can use their phones again at the end of the day once the bell rings.”
This change aims to better align the school division with the bell-to-bell law, which takes effect July 1.
While many agree that phones can be a distraction in the classroom, some parents have expressed concerns.
“The fact that she’s not going to be able to use her phone during her lunch break, during her downtime, when she’s supposed to decompress, is a little disheartening,” said Barbie Mallory, a concerned parent.
Mallory explains that her daughter, who has dyslexia, uses her phone to listen to audiobooks as a means to take a break from the school day.
She noted that her daughter experienced a panic attack during a Standards of Learning (SOL) test this past school year and believes that downtime is necessary.
“They might say it’s lunch, just make them look up and talk to people, but for some kids, they really do need that opportunity to decompress,” Mallory said.
Mallory indicated she plans to explore including phone use in her daughter’s Individualized Education Program (IEP).
Meanwhile, Kathleen Brown, chair of the school board, stated that more messaging will be sent to families before the school year begins.
“Superintendent Dr. Donald Robertson has confirmed that families will receive communication in August outlining updated expectations for students’ cell phone use, including guidance on how parents and guardians can reach their children during emergencies,” Brown said.
