Parents and educators discuss Governor Youngkin’s cellphone-free policy

ROANOKE, Va. (WDBJ) - Parents made their opinions heard at a listening session with the Virginia Board of Education regarding Governor Glenn Youngkin’s executive order aimed at cell phones in classrooms.

Youngkin issued an executive order to establish cellphone-free education. Now, VDOE and State Superintendent Lisa Coons are informing families in the commonwealth about the expectations of the new cellphone policy.

“We heard a lot about bell to bell, having cell phones up in a way whether it’s turned off or put in a locker, from the minute they come to school to the time they leave,” said Coons.

“To me, we are living in a cellphone addiction era, but it’s not just the students; it’s the parents as well,” said one parent.

As parents and educators spoke, many agreed high school and middle school students’ phones need to be locked away, and elementary students should not bring them to school.

“If you have these kids that are constantly distracted, you’re not going to be able to have that engagement, and we want better engagement. We want a better community. We want people to be involved in what’s taking place in their school and communicating with people,” said Roanoke County school board member Cheryl Facciani.

Some parents have disagreed with the ban because they want to communicate with their children during emergencies.

“The data is clear that if a parent is texting or phoning their child in the middle of an emergency, it actually causes more harm than good. So when there is an emergency, we need the student to listen to the adult in the room and not communicate with the parent,” said Facciani.

The cellphone ban will be in effect in January of next year. The Virginia Board of Education is expected to publish a policy draft in early August.

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