Executive Order decreeing "cell-phone free" education in k-12

[Anonymous]

The #1 bets thing that Glenn Youngkin did for VA Republicans was decide to focus on education. I am a die hard liberal, I will never vote for him or his lackeys, but I actually think he has made a handful of decisions I agree with (out of hundreds that I disagree with).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think that the goal, of eliminating cell phone use in the school day, is an admirable one. I would like to think it's something both parties could agree on.

But at this point, it sounds like it comes with no directions about how to achieve it, no resources to support it, etc . . .

What will be the definition of phone free? Cell phones in backpacks? Cell phones in lockers? Cell phones collected class by class? Kids are responsible for keeping cell phones out of sight?

What will be the enforcement?

How will keep kids from just transferring their social media to chromebooks or iPads or whatever they are using, and still accessing it in the classroom?

I think until that's all hashed out, it's just a good idea.

Did you read the EO? Do you have kids in FCPS right now? What grade?

Yes, I read it. It basically says that they'll figure it out, but doesn't include the solutions. I think until we know the actual plan it's hard to say whether it's going to work. I hope it does.

I'm a parent of high schoolers, and a high school teacher, in a different district. My school tried a variety of solutions, and we're in a better place than we were but are definitely not "cell phone free".

[Anonymous]

I would love to see added to this EO that Virginia schools allow no more thank 30 minutes of computer time for early childhood classes (K-2) per week, no more than 1 hour of computer time for 3rd and 4th grade per week and no more than 30 minutes of computer time per day for 5th and 6th grade.

One of the worst things to come out of pandemic school is the over reliance of 1:1 laptops in elementary school. We know without a doubt that daily screen time is very bad for children's development.

Get back to traditional teaching/shared class carts and ditch the reliance on 1:1 laptops for most of elementary school.

[Anonymous]

Better late than never.

[Anonymous]

FCPS already implemented this. Our HS had some teachers strictly implement and others were not as strict(the kids could take out phones if lesson was over and all work was done). My kids even had teachers that would take phones away for remainder of class if they were strict and saw a phone out. I’m not sure if things will change much for FCPS other than requiring all teachers to implement the order.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:FCPS already implemented this. Our HS had some teachers strictly implement and others were not as strict(the kids could take out phones if lesson was over and all work was done). My kids even had teachers that would take phones away for remainder of class if they were strict and saw a phone out. I’m not sure if things will change much for FCPS other than requiring all teachers to implement the order.

This is a big step, though.

[Anonymous]

So... no realistic recommendations on how this is going to get enforced? Youngkin... all glitz, zero substance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So... no realistic recommendations on how this is going to get enforced? Youngkin... all glitz, zero substance.

I think leaving it up to each school to decide the best way to implement this is a good thing. And I actively campaign against Youngkin.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So... no realistic recommendations on how this is going to get enforced? Youngkin... all glitz, zero substance.

I think leaving it up to each school to decide the best way to implement this is a good thing. And I actively campaign against Youngkin.

+1

It would be micro-managing for the governor to tell schools exactly how to write their SR&R. This EO broadly describes what to do and gives a timetable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think that the goal, of eliminating cell phone use in the school day, is an admirable one. I would like to think it's something both parties could agree on.

But at this point, it sounds like it comes with no directions about how to achieve it, no resources to support it, etc . . .

What will be the definition of phone free? Cell phones in backpacks? Cell phones in lockers? Cell phones collected class by class? Kids are responsible for keeping cell phones out of sight?

What will be the enforcement?

How will keep kids from just transferring their social media to chromebooks or iPads or whatever they are using, and still accessing it in the classroom?

I think until that's all hashed out, it's just a good idea.

Did you read the EO? Do you have kids in FCPS right now? What grade?

Yes, I read it. It basically says that they'll figure it out, but doesn't include the solutions. I think until we know the actual plan it's hard to say whether it's going to work. I hope it does.

I'm a parent of high schoolers, and a high school teacher, in a different district. My school tried a variety of solutions, and we're in a better place than we were but are definitely not "cell phone free".

+1,000

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So... no realistic recommendations on how this is going to get enforced? Youngkin... all glitz, zero substance.

+1

[Anonymous]

How about restricting laptop use instead? We pretty much have cell phone free instruction, but we definitely can’t say the same for computer/laptop free instruction.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would love to see added to this EO that Virginia schools allow no more thank 30 minutes of computer time for early childhood classes (K-2) per week, no more than 1 hour of computer time for 3rd and 4th grade per week and no more than 30 minutes of computer time per day for 5th and 6th grade.

One of the worst things to come out of pandemic school is the over reliance of 1:1 laptops in elementary school. We know without a doubt that daily screen time is very bad for children's development.

Get back to traditional teaching/shared class carts and ditch the reliance on 1:1 laptops for most of elementary school.

This exactly. As soon as kids were back in person, they never went back to regular instruction.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How about restricting laptop use instead? We pretty much have cell phone free instruction, but we definitely can’t say the same for computer/laptop free instruction.

The EO focused on cell phones but also mentioned social media-free instruction. That could be interpreted to mean restricted laptop/chromebook/ipad time rather than liberal or all-the-time laptop time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How about restricting laptop use instead? We pretty much have cell phone free instruction, but we definitely can’t say the same for computer/laptop free instruction.

The EO focused on cell phones but also mentioned social media-free instruction. That could be interpreted to mean restricted laptop/chromebook/ipad time rather than liberal or all-the-time laptop time.

That’s not what social media means.

Would have been nice if the governor gave districts money for yondr pouches or similar instead of just words. FCPS already has these rules in place. Enforcement is the issue. It shouldn’t be on teachers to enforce this- there should be a system.