In-class cell phone ban next year

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just take them away for the entire day. The kids can still email home and each other on school issued computers so there is literally no need for a cell phone at school.

Maybe there’s a checkpoint the the beginning of the day and all kids put phones in a box.

Sounds like prison.

DCPS teacher here..I frequent this forum because I'm contemplating a change for commuting purposes....anyway, MCPS parents like you....you're the problem. I don't want to switch because of parents like you. Our school has students drop off their phone every morning and pick-up in the afternoon. Phones are a non-issue for us. It doesn't even sort of resemble a prison but it does resemble an actual environment conducive for learning. Parents don't complain. Time for you to grow up.

Hi! Teacher here. I promise it’s not all like this. Just stay away from Bethesda and definitely Potomac. Most parents are normal outside of that circle of entitlement.

I agree with this poster 100%.
DCUM doesn't represent the vast majority of MCPS parents IRL.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This “new” policy is absolutely no change in high schools.
It’s awful.

That's too bad. I think "away all day" works well for my kid's middle school. My kid will say occasionally that kid X is in the back of the class with the phone under their desk texting, but students by and large seem to know it's a rule with consequences.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just take them away for the entire day. The kids can still email home and each other on school issued computers so there is literally no need for a cell phone at school.

Maybe there’s a checkpoint the the beginning of the day and all kids put phones in a box.

Sounds like prison.

DCPS teacher here..I frequent this forum because I'm contemplating a change for commuting purposes....anyway, MCPS parents like you....you're the problem. I don't want to switch because of parents like you. Our school has students drop off their phone every morning and pick-up in the afternoon. Phones are a non-issue for us. It doesn't even sort of resemble a prison but it does resemble an actual environment conducive for learning. Parents don't complain. Time for you to grow up.

Hi! Teacher here. I promise it’s not all like this. Just stay away from Bethesda and definitely Potomac. Most parents are normal outside of that circle of entitlement.

I teach in Silver Spring and phones are a huge issue at my school. And parents are texting their kids all day long

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just take them away for the entire day. The kids can still email home and each other on school issued computers so there is literally no need for a cell phone at school.

Maybe there’s a checkpoint the the beginning of the day and all kids put phones in a box.

Sounds like prison.

DCPS teacher here..I frequent this forum because I'm contemplating a change for commuting purposes....anyway, MCPS parents like you....you're the problem. I don't want to switch because of parents like you. Our school has students drop off their phone every morning and pick-up in the afternoon. Phones are a non-issue for us. It doesn't even sort of resemble a prison but it does resemble an actual environment conducive for learning. Parents don't complain. Time for you to grow up.

Hi! Teacher here. I promise it’s not all like this. Just stay away from Bethesda and definitely Potomac. Most parents are normal outside of that circle of entitlement.

I teach in Silver Spring and phones are a huge issue at my school. And parents are texting their kids all day long

At our Silver Spring school they're banned and will be confiscated if you are caught using them during class. You need to keep them in your backpack even.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just take them away for the entire day. The kids can still email home and each other on school issued computers so there is literally no need for a cell phone at school.

Maybe there’s a checkpoint the the beginning of the day and all kids put phones in a box.

Sounds like prison.

DCPS teacher here..I frequent this forum because I'm contemplating a change for commuting purposes....anyway, MCPS parents like you....you're the problem. I don't want to switch because of parents like you. Our school has students drop off their phone every morning and pick-up in the afternoon. Phones are a non-issue for us. It doesn't even sort of resemble a prison but it does resemble an actual environment conducive for learning. Parents don't complain. Time for you to grow up.

Hi! Teacher here. I promise it’s not all like this. Just stay away from Bethesda and definitely Potomac. Most parents are normal outside of that circle of entitlement.

I teach in Silver Spring and phones are a huge issue at my school. And parents are texting their kids all day long

At our Silver Spring school they're banned and will be confiscated if you are caught using them during class. You need to keep them in your backpack even.

At our BCC feeder MS they need to stay in the lockers. No backpacks allowed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just take them away for the entire day. The kids can still email home and each other on school issued computers so there is literally no need for a cell phone at school.

Maybe there’s a checkpoint the the beginning of the day and all kids put phones in a box.

Sounds like prison.

DCPS teacher here..I frequent this forum because I'm contemplating a change for commuting purposes....anyway, MCPS parents like you....you're the problem. I don't want to switch because of parents like you. Our school has students drop off their phone every morning and pick-up in the afternoon. Phones are a non-issue for us. It doesn't even sort of resemble a prison but it does resemble an actual environment conducive for learning. Parents don't complain. Time for you to grow up.

Hi! Teacher here. I promise it’s not all like this. Just stay away from Bethesda and definitely Potomac. Most parents are normal outside of that circle of entitlement.

I teach in Silver Spring and phones are a huge issue at my school. And parents are texting their kids all day long

And, why are parents texting a problem? There are no pay phones.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just take them away for the entire day. The kids can still email home and each other on school issued computers so there is literally no need for a cell phone at school.

Maybe there’s a checkpoint the the beginning of the day and all kids put phones in a box.

Sounds like prison.

DCPS teacher here..I frequent this forum because I'm contemplating a change for commuting purposes....anyway, MCPS parents like you....you're the problem. I don't want to switch because of parents like you. Our school has students drop off their phone every morning and pick-up in the afternoon. Phones are a non-issue for us. It doesn't even sort of resemble a prison but it does resemble an actual environment conducive for learning. Parents don't complain. Time for you to grow up.

Hi! Teacher here. I promise it’s not all like this. Just stay away from Bethesda and definitely Potomac. Most parents are normal outside of that circle of entitlement.

I teach in Silver Spring and phones are a huge issue at my school. And parents are texting their kids all day long

At our Silver Spring school they're banned and will be confiscated if you are caught using them during class. You need to keep them in your backpack even.

At our BCC feeder MS they need to stay in the lockers. No backpacks allowed.

Kids don’t get lockers at out hs except freshman who cannot use them due to distance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just take them away for the entire day. The kids can still email home and each other on school issued computers so there is literally no need for a cell phone at school.

Maybe there’s a checkpoint the the beginning of the day and all kids put phones in a box.

Sounds like prison.

DCPS teacher here..I frequent this forum because I'm contemplating a change for commuting purposes....anyway, MCPS parents like you....you're the problem. I don't want to switch because of parents like you. Our school has students drop off their phone every morning and pick-up in the afternoon. Phones are a non-issue for us. It doesn't even sort of resemble a prison but it does resemble an actual environment conducive for learning. Parents don't complain. Time for you to grow up.

+1000

-Bethesda parent

[Anonymous]

MCPS is scared of parents. Year 16 as an MCPS employee. If a parent pushes hard enough, MCPS backs down.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:MCPS is scared of parents. Year 16 as an MCPS employee. If a parent pushes hard enough, MCPS backs down.

Parents are also pushing for the cell phone ban. I got this email--which I support.

Dear MCPS families in support of Away All Day,



Thank you so much for signing the letter supporting a consistent Away All Day policy for personal mobile devices for grades K-12.



On May 5, the letter was delivered to Superintendent Taylor and the members of the Board of Education, including other members of MCPS who have been working on this issue, along with almost 2000 individual signatures from members of our community. We also received local press coverage for our efforts, including an article in Moderately Moco, an article in MyMCMedia, and a segment in WJLA.



However, we were shocked and disappointed when MCPS announced just a few days later on May 9 that they had revised the regulations without providing the opportunity for community feedback. MCPS has consistently represented that they intended to provide time for stakeholder feedback on the revised regulations. They broke that promise.


(Last Slide of MCPS Presentation at Board of Education Meeting on February 23, 2025)



Worse, the new regulations only extend Away All Day to middle schools. The rules for high schools are even more relaxed than under the prior regulations! Under the new rules, high schools will allow phone use in between classes and during lunch, whereas before this was up to the principal’s discretion.



We need your help! Please send an email immediately to Superintendent Taylor ([e-mail]) and the BOE ([e-mail]). You may use the template message below, or feel free to draft your own.


Dear Superintendent Taylor and members of the Board of Education,



I was surprised and disappointed to learn that MCPS had revised its personal mobile device regulations (COG-RA) on May 9, 2025 without providing the opportunity for feedback from the community as promised on multiple occasions. I was also disappointed that the new regulations did not extend Away All Day to all grade levels, in spite of the fact that the tide is clearly turning in this direction. When our neighboring jurisdictions as well as areas around the country and even the world are recognizing the need for phone-free schools, why is MCPS ignoring the evidence and taking such a half-baked approach?



I ask that you:



Explain to the community why you broke the promise to provide time for community feedback, and give families the chance to weigh in before the regulations are finalized;

Explain the reasons you enacted such a weak regulation in spite of all evidence indicating phones have no place during the school day from K-12;

Consider giving high school principals the chance to create a phone-free environment at their school;

Promise to engage the community during the implementation planning phase and actually consider community feedback, rather than simply paying lip service to it.



Sincerely,



[Your Name]

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just take them away for the entire day. The kids can still email home and each other on school issued computers so there is literally no need for a cell phone at school.

Maybe there’s a checkpoint the the beginning of the day and all kids put phones in a box.

Sounds like prison.

DCPS teacher here..I frequent this forum because I'm contemplating a change for commuting purposes....anyway, MCPS parents like you....you're the problem. I don't want to switch because of parents like you. Our school has students drop off their phone every morning and pick-up in the afternoon. Phones are a non-issue for us. It doesn't even sort of resemble a prison but it does resemble an actual environment conducive for learning. Parents don't complain. Time for you to grow up.

Hi! Teacher here. I promise it’s not all like this. Just stay away from Bethesda and definitely Potomac. Most parents are normal outside of that circle of entitlement.

I teach in Silver Spring and phones are a huge issue at my school. And parents are texting their kids all day long

At our Silver Spring school they're banned and will be confiscated if you are caught using them during class. You need to keep them in your backpack even.

Are you talking about HS? There is lax enforcement at the HS level

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just take them away for the entire day. The kids can still email home and each other on school issued computers so there is literally no need for a cell phone at school.

Maybe there’s a checkpoint the the beginning of the day and all kids put phones in a box.

Sounds like prison.

DCPS teacher here..I frequent this forum because I'm contemplating a change for commuting purposes....anyway, MCPS parents like you....you're the problem. I don't want to switch because of parents like you. Our school has students drop off their phone every morning and pick-up in the afternoon. Phones are a non-issue for us. It doesn't even sort of resemble a prison but it does resemble an actual environment conducive for learning. Parents don't complain. Time for you to grow up.

Hi! Teacher here. I promise it’s not all like this. Just stay away from Bethesda and definitely Potomac. Most parents are normal outside of that circle of entitlement.

I teach in Silver Spring and phones are a huge issue at my school. And parents are texting their kids all day long

And, why are parents texting a problem? There are no pay phones.

Because it is very distracting when kids are constantly getting texts in class. It breaks their concentration and focus. How is this so hard to understand?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just take them away for the entire day. The kids can still email home and each other on school issued computers so there is literally no need for a cell phone at school.

Maybe there’s a checkpoint the the beginning of the day and all kids put phones in a box.

Sounds like prison.

DCPS teacher here..I frequent this forum because I'm contemplating a change for commuting purposes....anyway, MCPS parents like you....you're the problem. I don't want to switch because of parents like you. Our school has students drop off their phone every morning and pick-up in the afternoon. Phones are a non-issue for us. It doesn't even sort of resemble a prison but it does resemble an actual environment conducive for learning. Parents don't complain. Time for you to grow up.

Hi! Teacher here. I promise it’s not all like this. Just stay away from Bethesda and definitely Potomac. Most parents are normal outside of that circle of entitlement.

I teach in Silver Spring and phones are a huge issue at my school. And parents are texting their kids all day long

And, why are parents texting a problem? There are no pay phones.

Because it is very distracting when kids are constantly getting texts in class. It breaks their concentration and focus. How is this so hard to understand?

+100

[Anonymous]

My HS kid is on the phone all day. Teachers are too. NY and CA are doing it right with later start times for teens and cell phone bans. MCPS is a joke.

[Anonymous]

Retaliating on teachers is always a great mcps modus operandi for an easy solution.