.jpg "February 2025 - Bill Ribble")
School District of Lee County’s Plan to Improve Academic and Social-Emotional Outcomes
Cell phone use in the classroom has been a topic of interest for Florida state leaders, school district leaders, teachers, and parents alike since Governor DeSantis signed House Bill 379, limiting cell phone use in schools, in May of 2023. Since then, research continues to confirm the need to set policies for wireless communication devices in support of student academic and social-emotional development. Our District’s staff is examining how we implement wireless communication device policies to ensure all schools within the School District of Lee County have a clear understanding of how we support Florida’s statewide restrictions, barring students from using “wireless communication devices” such as cell phones during instructional time.
As the district moves forward to create a clear and consistent wireless device policy that will support all District schools, we urge our principals, teachers, and families to consider some key thoughts from Jonathan Haidit, Ph.D. and his book The Anxious Generation:
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The importance of face-to-face conversations and social engagement during unstructured segments of the instructional day:
“Face-to-face, physical interactions and rituals are a deep, ancient, and underappreciated part of human evolution.”
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The importance of supporting social-emotional intelligence that advances with students throughout developmental ages and stages:
“For social development they need to learn the art of friendship. Mistakes are low cost and can be rectified in real time. Moreover, there are clearly embodied signals of this rectification, such as an apology with an appropriate facial expression. A smile, a pat on the back, or a handshake shows everyone that it’s okay, both parties are ready to move on and continue playing, both are developing their skills of relationship repair. In contrast, as young people move their social relationships online, those relationships become disembodied, asynchronous, and sometimes disposable. Even small mistakes can bring heavy costs in a viral world where content can live forever, and everyone can see it. Mistakes can be met with intense criticism by multiple individuals with whom one has no underlying bond. Apologies are often mocked, and any signal of re-acceptance can be mixed or vague. Instead of gaining an experience of social mastery, a child is often left with a sense of social incompetence, loss of status, and anxiety about future social interactions.”
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The importance of a device-free learning environment:
“Even when members of Gen Z are not on their devices and appear to be doing something in the real world, such as sitting in class, eating a meal, or talking with you, a substantial portion of their attention is monitoring or worrying (being anxious) about events in the social metaverse.”
At a recent School Board of Lee County workshop, the board came to a consensus to adopt the following policy for the district:
“Students may possess personal wireless communication devices (WCDs) while on school grounds during regular school hours. This includes, but is not limited to, cell phones and auxiliary/ancillary devices such as watches, ear buds, or smart glasses. At all levels, personal WDCs must be always turned off and in the student’s book bag. WCDs are permitted when the device is used to monitor a health condition documented through medical records and indicated as needed in a health plan.”
The School District of Lee County remains committed to creating an environment for academic excellence for students in all our schools.
Respectively,
William F. Ribble, Jr.
School Board Member, District 3
The content and any opinions expressed in this article are solely the author's and do not necessarily reflect the facts, opinions, and beliefs of the Lee County School Board or its affiliates.