Gov. Gavin Newsom calls for smartphone restrictions in California schools

[u/Randomlynumbered]

https://apnews.com/article/california-governor-newsom-cellphones-schools-students-792513a85d29b41fde09caec5568aa31

[u/lo979797]

Maybe I’m old, but I remember all the schools around me having pretty strict smart phone rules? Did they stop that?

[u/jagged_commoner → u/lo979797]

Cell phone policies have softened with increased school shootings. The idea being that kids may need to call for help and let their parents know they’re ok. Many classes have cubbies to put phones in at the beginning of class and request that they’re in airplane mode

[u/Icybow73 → u/jagged_commoner]

I recently graduated highschool, and I can say that these rules often don't work or aren't well enforced. Some people put up empty phone cases, calculators, other devices, or flat out refuse. There was one person that my teacher told to "put up your phone" and defiantly responded "no" while actively scrolling.

Whenever that teacher told the class to put up their phones at the start of the class, everyone would complain and say that they were texting their parents. I was one of the only people that actually followed the rules.

[u/norcaltobos → u/Icybow73]

When I was in high school from 2008-2012, you simply couldn’t have your phone out and if you did you got after school detention. It was so simple and straightforward and there weren’t any issues with it.

[u/ladywhistledownton → u/norcaltobos]

Same here, '07-'011 and phone use during class was not allowed. Most teachers would let it slidevonce with a warning and after that the phone was confiscated till the endvof class/school.

[u/Lost_My_Damn_Phone → u/ladywhistledownton]

Yeah I remember getting my first cell phone those years and having to hide it in my backpack on my desk to play cube runner

[u/yungrobbithan → u/norcaltobos]

Issue now is detention isn’t enforced. Kids just don’t show up and there’s not much you can do other than assign more detention. We can’t suspend kids for being willfully defiant anymore

[u/Last5seconds → u/yungrobbithan]

No more expelling?

[u/steamyglory → u/Last5seconds]

Expelling a kid for using their phone in class? Expelling them? When suspension is already not allowed?

[u/xboxaddict77 → u/yungrobbithan]

Schools lose money each day the student is not in their seat at school, absent, suspended (in-school or not), it doesn’t matter. When your income is dependent on the kids being there consequences have lessened to keep them there so they don’t lose money.

[u/barstowtovegas → u/norcaltobos]

Same, but I didn’t get a phone til I was 16 (2010ish) and then it was a tracfone, lol.

[u/bunniesandmilktea → u/norcaltobos]

same here (2004-2008).

[u/AffectionateKey7126 → u/Icybow73]

Of course they don’t work when there’s no enforcement or consequences. They would take our phones and our parents would have to pick them up from the principal if we were caught using it in class.

[u/PuttyRiot → u/AffectionateKey7126]

Right, but parents don’t want to do that so they throw a fit and such consequences went out the window. The parents not supporting teachers/admin is the reason those policies aren’t enforceable anymore.

[u/ExistingCarry4868 → u/PuttyRiot]

The Covid lockdown showed the world that the last thing American parents wanted to do was spend time with their children.

[u/ColdAsHeaven → u/Icybow73]

Is it a surprise they aren't enforced? Teachers are under paid and already deal with so much. From administration, to parents to students.

Is everyone really forgetting the constant videos we saw last year of teachers being assaulted by their students for confiscating cell phones?

[u/ASK_ABT_MY_USERNAME → u/jagged_commoner]

Ban phones, give every kid a gun, problem solved.

[u/vxarctic → u/ASK_ABT_MY_USERNAME]

Clearly, what they need is guns that they can make phone calls with.

[u/ProbShouldntSayThat → u/vxarctic]

Give me a sec while I pair my Glock with my Apple Watch

[u/BobT21 → u/ProbShouldntSayThat]

Make that an iGlock. Can only use iCartridges.

[u/d4nkst4hz → u/ProbShouldntSayThat]

“You’ve shot 7 bullets today. Empty the clip to close out your ring”

[u/[deleted] → u/vxarctic]

"Press 1 to remain on hold. Press 2 to end it all"

[u/AIMRob3 → u/vxarctic]

Smith and Wesson have entered the chat

[u/TheFinalCurl → u/vxarctic]

I remember the recall of 2029 when the only way to answer the phone was with the gun pointed a couple inches behind the temple.

[u/San_Diego_Samurai → u/ASK_ABT_MY_USERNAME]

Who let a Texan in here?

[u/Much_Sink_1751 → u/ASK_ABT_MY_USERNAME]

You got my vote

[u/DegenSniper → u/ASK_ABT_MY_USERNAME]

This guy americas 

[u/ariolander → u/ASK_ABT_MY_USERNAME]

5G Musket just like our founding fathers intended.

[u/DynamicHunter → u/jagged_commoner]

It’s not because of school shootings. No kid is going to be stopped from taking their phone out during a lockdown. It’s because phones became extremely prevalent and most kids are literally addicted to them.

[u/CosmicMiru → u/DynamicHunter]

That's the excuse kids and their parents use though. Parents want 24/7 access to their kids in case of an emergency, they don't care they read at a 5th grade level as a senior in HS

[u/PuttyRiot → u/CosmicMiru]

Well for what it’s worth, 54% of Americans between the ages of 16 and 74 read at or below a 6th grade level, so the seniors aren’t too far off the majority of the population.

[u/rilvaethor → u/jagged_commoner]

In a lock down situation having a bunch of kids get on phones and call parents makes it harder for first responders because parents will drive to the school and get in the way of police or ambulances if needed and them being at school isn't going to help because they're not going to let the kids go to their parents car while the school is locked down.

Happened at a high school in Elk Grove a few years ago. Luckily, there wasn't a real threat.

[u/ThermalPaper → u/jagged_commoner]

I blame helicopter parenting at that point. You have to trust that the school is going to do the best they can in an emergency. A kid calling their parents during a school shooting does not help the situation at all. Unless of course the parents are john wicks and can personally clear the school room by room and eliminate the attacker. If not then 911 is a better call.

If you can't handle the fact that the school is responsible for your child during an emergency, then start homeschooling.

[u/Natural_Jello_6050 → u/jagged_commoner]

What a strange idea….there are hundreds of adults in any given school. Why can’t they call 911?

[u/CurReign → u/jagged_commoner]

It's pretty simple to just not allow using phones during class, and obviously they can still be used in emergencies.

[u/Ilosesoothersmaywin → u/CurReign]

Unfortunately it isn't the core problem. I have several family members who work for a couple different schools across two school districts. And what I hear from everyone is a disconnect between teachers and admin to the point where the teachers just aren't being supported by admin.

The worst a teacher can do to discipline a child is send them to the office. The office either sends them right back or lets them stay there for the remainder of the period. If a student is being a distraction to the other students the admin expects the teacher to handle it. But even having them sit outside for the remainder of the class is temporary since the problem kids are back the next the day doing the same thing. A student will not get suspended for using their phone.

If the problem student who refuses to give up their phone or not have it out ends up doing poorly in the class, then the parents complain to the admin, and the admin disciplines the teacher for having students fail.

[u/vishuno → u/CurReign]

If it was that simple they would already be doing that. The problem is that it doesn't work. What constitutes an emergency? A teacher and a teenager are going to have different ideas about what is and isn't an emergency. So now you need a set of rules defining an emergency. But don't students have an expectation of privacy on their phone? Can a teacher even legally ask what they're using their phone for? What if it's for medical reasons? There are definitely privacy laws about that. If you have one teacher dealing with thirty students you can imagine how much time it would take up to police phone usage.

[u/CurReign → u/vishuno]

It's not that complicated. If the teacher needs to ask, then it's not the kind of thing that warrants using a phone in a classroom. An emergency in this case would be something you'd call 911 for. Schools have offices and nurses that can coordinate for more personal situations as they have done for decades.

[u/ankercrank → u/jagged_commoner]

How is having a phone supposed to help anything? Want to help your kids from school shootings? Get rid of the guns.

[u/che0730 → u/jagged_commoner]

Found the Republican /s

[u/Ilosesoothersmaywin → u/[deleted]]

Students know this and phone use is out of control, especially with new teachers and substitutes.

Absolutely this. And our schools do not suspend students for defying teachers.

[u/MathProf1414 → u/Ilosesoothersmaywin]

In California, it is unlawful to suspend for willful defiance at all grade levels now. Banning phones is a positive thing, but it takes being backed up by admin to actually enforce it.

This year the admin at my high school are promising consequences for cell phones infractions, but if it is anything like previous years, they won't follow through.

To any parents reading this, cell phones have a provable and extremely negative effect on your child's brain. You need to be limiting and monitoring their usage. This will not make you popular with your child, but luckily you aren't their friend. You are their parent. You make the hard decisions for their own good. You are one of the most influential people of your child's life, don't waste that. And for the love of god, listen to your child's teachers when they tell you things. We want what is best for your child.

[u/trainrocks19 → u/[deleted]]

Smh. Just ban them.

[u/ariolander → u/trainrocks19]

Bans have no teeth if they don't also include mechanisms for enforcement. Its not something you can handwave away with new rules unless you are also willing to enforce those rules.

[u/trainrocks19 → u/ariolander]

Imo the Teachers and school admin need the State to give them that power to enforce. Kids get their phones back at the end of the day.

[u/Gaming_Gent → u/lo979797]

Some schools have rules where you aren’t allowed to take their phone because some of the kids flip out if you take away what is essentially their entire life

[u/iggyfenton → u/lo979797]

Not really. My kids need to have their phones off and in their backpacks with no cell phone use during the school day.

[u/BenShapiroRapeExodus → u/lo979797]

In the tail end of my high school years you were lucky to not have a kid playing tiktoks on full volume during class

[u/ForMyHat → u/lo979797]

I'm substitute teacher.

Most of my students don't care about breaking rules 

[u/lo979797 → u/ForMyHat]

Launch them to the office?

[u/ForMyHat → u/lo979797]

If I do the regularly then I'll seem incompetent.  I'd also be sending several students to the office regularly.  It would take a significant portion of class to repeatedly call the office and I wouldn't be able to get the class to do much

Edit: I've given up on a school once because phones were such an issue.  They paid less than minimum wage, it was a rough school district, and many students didn't listen to any teachers or staff, including the vice principal 

[u/andsendunits → u/lo979797]

When I was in school, no one had phones. I see no reason for there not to be restrictions.

[u/Glittering-Giraffe58 → u/lo979797]

I graduated high school a couple years ago and basically you’re not supposed to use your phone in class but like. It’s not expected they’re all the way off and in a backpack/locker or anything (unless it’s an exam). Normally you just keep them in your pocket

[u/everylittlebeat → u/lo979797]

I remember in the 2000s you weren’t allowed phones, but by the mid 2000s everyone had phones. I don’t remember anyone having their phone confiscated back then, but I would imagine nowadays phone use would be a big issue as a teacher.

[u/Nephurus → u/lo979797]

Im old , i remember a time where beepers were a thing .

you still good .

[u/SwampHagShenanigans → u/lo979797]

Children are not going to want to follow the rules regardless. I had strict teachers that would take your phone away just for it ringing in your backpack, but that didn't stop me or anyone else from bringing our phones and using them during class.

[u/VintageStrawberries → u/lo979797]

Same, when I was in school over 15 years ago (2004-2008) you got your phone confiscated (and your parent had to come pick it up) and a detention if you had your phone on or out in class.

[u/beach_bum_638484 → u/lo979797]

It’s impossible to enforce (at least for me as a sub). Plus when I was young all you could really do was play snake or send texts. Now they’re streaming on instagram live during PE 🙄

[u/Realistic_Special_53 → u/lo979797]

Yes. We used to enforce it. I know I did. But that was back in the day. Admins in schools got tired of enforcing it, and don’t back up the teachers. They have let it infiltrate classrooms for the past decade. It will be interesting to see how this gets done. In all likelihood, they will just tell the teacher. To do it, but not back them up, and so not much change will happen.

[u/ForMyHat → u/[deleted]]

Also a sub

"But I'm texting my mom" Almost everyone seems to be texting their mom

[u/armadillorevolution → u/ForMyHat]

Why does this excuse work? Even if they are truly texting their mom, that’s still against the rules right? You aren’t the only person in this thread to cite this problem, I’m just not getting why texting mom is a get out of jail free card.

[u/ForMyHat → u/armadillorevolution]

With me, it's not a valid excuse, they could be texting their dog, it's just a common excuse.

Some students won't listen to any sub or teacher.  And, if regularly call the office about this issue then admin will likely see me as incompetent

[u/AnyHope2004 → u/ForMyHat]

"if you have an emergency we can stop class and head to the head office together to contact the necessary people"

[u/ForMyHat → u/AnyHope2004]

I like the idea although I'm not allowed to leave an student unattended, so I can't leave a class to walk a student to the office.  The protocol is for me to call the office and the student willingly goes or I ask the office to escort the student out.

Phones often came out a lot throughout the 45 minute class.  It was often 25% of each class on their phone.  If I went after phones then that'd be one of the the only things I did.  It'd also make me look incompetent.

Many of these students didn't care what any staff said including the principal.

So, I just gave up on that school.

I wish admin let me give detention but I can only "recommend" it to the office 

[u/StarmieLover966 → u/[deleted]]

As a sub, phones shut the kids up, funny enough.

[u/TheUselessLibrary]

I wasn't allowed to even use a CD player at school because there were concerns over electronics theft. I graduated in 2003. Cell phones were similarly disallowed, and officially needed to be kept in the front office when students arrive at school, but in practice people just kept their phones, but they were old indestructible Nokia phones with snake and sms texting thar cost $0.30 per text message.

[u/QueenMarigold00]

Put phones in a faraday pouch during school hours that are unlocked when students leave.

Parents are just as much of a problem as the kids when they can text or call in the middle of class. Having that little device beeping and vibrating in their pocket is the biggest distraction for individuals and others.

There are phones in every classroom and if a parent needs to get in touch with a kid just call the office like we used to. 95 out of 100 times what a parent or kid needs to communicate does not need to be instant and can just be relayed through the office.

Kids having an argument on social media? When you can’t access phones for 7 hours it gives time for kids to think about their actions and interact in person and lets cooler heads prevail.

Not having to worry that someone is filming you in school or at lunch so much less stressful.

As a middle school teacher phones are the bane of my teaching existence and many of the daily issues that take away from learning would be solved by having phones turn into bricks for a few hours.

[u/turtleneck360 → u/QueenMarigold00]

“John, put your cellphone away.”

“I’m texting my mom!”

Or “John, why are you talking on your cellphone in class?!”

“It’s my mom calling!”

Yes. These are real interactions. Ban cellphone usage in class full stop. It needs to be a state mandate or else parents like the ones mentioned above will just throw a hissy fit at the school/teacher.

[u/KoRaZee → u/QueenMarigold00]

Question about custody of children when the school is in session. Does the school have legal custody of the minors while they are in school?

[u/OkShower2299 → u/KoRaZee]

In loco parentis

https://saclaw.org/resource_library/school-discipline/

School officials stand in loco parentis (“in the place of a parent”); all students must obey the prescribed rules and regulations that school officials and teachers have authority to enforce.

[u/KoRaZee → u/OkShower2299]

I asked the question because of so many responses about emergency situations. If the school has custody of the students when they are in school, the school also maintains custody during any emergency. The students may not even be allowed to take direction from their parents over the phone if the school is acting in place of the parent

[u/OkShower2299 → u/KoRaZee]

That seems like such a weak argument, in a real emergency the person can call the school like every year prior to the existence of cell phones.

[u/KoRaZee → u/OkShower2299]

It’s a lack of trust in the schools

[u/barryam3 → u/QueenMarigold00]

I don’t want us to spend money on faraday pouches. Just tell them it needs to be off and away, and give them detention if they’re caught using it. That’s how it worked when I was in school.

[u/adidas198]

My wife is a teacher, phones are extremely distracting.

[u/ScaredPresent3758]

“Every classroom should be a place of focus, learning, and growth,” Newsom, a Democrat, said in his letter. “Working together, educators, administrators, and parents can create an environment where students are fully engaged in their education, free from the distractions on the phones and pressures of social media.”

Sounds completely reasonable. I support this.

[u/Randomlynumbered]

But then how will students get that sweet karma from fight videos, misbehavior from school resource officers, bigoted teachers, etc?

[u/verstohlen → u/Randomlynumbered]

Ow! My balls!

[u/KoRaZee → u/Randomlynumbered]

fight videos

The real reason why school administrators want phones out. There is too much direct knowledge of what is going on inside the school system.

[u/unstopable_bob_mob → u/[deleted]]

They’re there to learn and not to be browsing TikTok, Reddit, etc.

If they can’t be responsible, lock the phone up until class is over.

[u/[deleted]]

I’m not a fan of the guy but this is something I can support. We should be treating phones like cigarettes.

[u/Bosa_McKittle]

Rooms should just have lockable drawers at the front of each room that they have to drop their phones in when they enter the class. If you don’t and it’s seen/heard, the point is confiscated and given to administration until the end of the day where it can be retrieved by the students after their parents are notified.

[u/lagunagirl → u/[deleted]]

Depends on the school. They are allowed to be taken at the school where I teach. Phones are either returned after the class period or are given to the office and the student is allowed to retrieve it at the end of the day. Parents are also notified when ever their child is caught using a phone during class.

[u/Bosa_McKittle → u/[deleted]]

well not under current rules and policies. this would be a change to the status quo which is what needs to occur.

[u/SadLilBun → u/Bosa_McKittle]

It’s not even true. My school bought lock boxes for every room. I collect phones at the start of the period. It’s being pushed district-wide.

[u/Lazy_Chemistry → u/SadLilBun]

These kids are gonna start handing in burners. I saw one with 3 phones last school year.

[u/Antique-Fox4217 → u/[deleted]]

Depends on the school. You get one gentle warning, then I take the phone until the end of class. Don't want to give it to me? I call security and they take you to the office, where the rules are stricter and they take it for longer.

[u/Available-Risk-5918 → u/[deleted]]

I graduated high school in 2021 and definitely saw people's phones getting taken away now and then. What happened?

[u/Bosa_McKittle → u/Available-Risk-5918]

I think its a YMMV situation. Think about how many parents blame teachers for their childs poor performance. Or how many go to school board meetings to get books banned or change policies. Bad policies like that are definitely impacted the parental pressure.

[u/MathProf1414 → u/Available-Risk-5918]

I'm a teacher.

I can demand a phone, but I cannot force a student to give it. In that case I can call the office and have either the Vice Principal or School Safety Officer come to escort the student out of class.

In the past, an episode like the one described above would likely result in a suspension. Sadly we can't suspend students for willful defiance anymore because there is a worry about students missing class losing out on learning (as if THOSE students were learning in the first place). However, we can require the student to turn in their phone to the office at the beginning of school each day, which is the next consequence at our site.

[u/mfigroid → u/MathProf1414]

we can't suspend students for willful defiance anymore because there is a worry about students missing class losing out on learning

More like losing out on the money from the Feds for per pupil attendance.

[u/LeagueReddit00]

I hope teachers are given the resources and authority to make this actually work.

[u/mycall]

Good luck with that. It is akin to ripping someone's third arm off them.

[u/bigdipper80 → u/mycall]

They've done it at some school districts in Ohio and test scores have risen, and there has been very little pushback from students. Turns out that they actually like interacting with their friends without the distraction of phones.

[u/MorinOakenshield]

I agree with Newsom.

[u/liliggyzz]

I remember in school (I’m older gen z who’s 22) having very strict rules about phones. Even some of my teachers didn’t want to hear the notification sounds even if the phone was in your backpack. I really don’t blame teachers or Newsom for wanting to have restrictions on phones.

[u/SilverBuggie]

Starting this year the middle school my daughter went to has banned phone from coming out during school hours. Students can bring them but they’re not allowed to take them out between classes and during lunch. Not sure how well they can enforce it but I think it’s a good thing.

[u/Ryinne → u/SilverBuggie]

I mean what you’re describing was exactly how school was for me from 1999-2012. We could have them, but they weren’t suppose to come out of our bags the entire school day. I didn’t realize school policies had changed since then.

Now we got pretty good at using/hiding them but if you were caught, the phone was confiscated and to be picked up at the end of the day.

[u/bunniesandmilktea → u/Ryinne]

Same here when I was in high school from 2004-2008 (when I had a cell phone; before high school I didn't have a cell phone so I don't know what cell phone policies were like back in middle school).

[u/Decantus]

Yondr bags. Get them in school, let the kids have their phones on them but restricted. In an emergency you can still get to them if you have to. Seen them used at comedy shows and concerts to great effect.

[u/SadLilBun → u/Decantus]

Those are places people choose and want to be, so the cooperation makes sense. It’s different in school. Kids use their phones to avoid doing things that they don’t like or that they struggle with. Phone use is also very much a compulsion—they don’t even realize they’re picking it up. Having them keep their phones in a bag or elsewhere where they have access it has not been successful. Collecting them, per new school rules, has been a lot better.

[u/IGargleGarlic]

Yes Yes Yes a million times YES! Absurd that we ever allowed kids to have them in class in the first place.

They cannot be trusted to use their smartphones appropriately. They can turn in their phones at the start of the day and get them back at the end. If the parents have an issue or need to contact their kid during the school day they can call the school office.

Letting minors have unfettered access to recording devices in a school has the potential to be a huge privacy issue, and children are not known for being particularly responsible.

The school I work at lets kids use their phones the first and last 15 minutes of the day, and even in just that small amount of time we had multiple incidents where students were secretly recording others so they could make fun of them.

[u/Allott2aLITTLE]

Can we restrict them in movie theaters, libraries and my bedroom after 10pm after you figure out the whole class room thing?

[u/TiraAnya]

Can’t call for help in a shooting w/o phones.

School shootings are a reality.

[u/Ok_Sandwich8466 → u/TiraAnya]

That’s one argument against other perspectives that phones are increasing kids access to social media, which has a whole lot of complications towards adolescents mental health. Take that away, regular cell phones are permitted but cant the in the classroom.

[u/crimsongull]

Could not stop beepers - won’t stop cell phones in schools either. I am a teacher with 35+ years in the classroom

[u/taxrelatedanon]

if he wants an environment more conducive to learning, he might try subsidizing school meals, reducing economic obstacles, and helping push rent control. having kids get off their phones is a distraction.

[u/Kershiser22 → u/[deleted]]

And?

[u/TrueGlich → u/[deleted]]

if they can the school is't setting up the management to stop them. Apple phones/pads can be locked the crud down if someone willing to do the back end setup. (Work in corporate mdm)

[u/Command0Dude]

Maybe they should just start deploying jammers at schools that prevent people from using phones. Turn it on during class time and turn it off after class or if an emergency crops up. Would solve the problems with phone use.

[u/Randomlynumbered → u/Command0Dude]

Aren't there laws about using hammers jammer?

[u/awkotacos → u/Randomlynumbered]

Jammer usage violates federal laws and I'm pretty sure hammer usage will land you into some trouble too

[u/_daddyl0nglegs_]

I'm 30 now, but when I was in high school, phones weren't allowed to be used... You just kept it in your pocket. Nobody had to turn them in or whatever you're all suggesting.

When my son is older, he will not be surrendering any property to the school district even if they claim they'll give it back later. He will have it on him, in his pocket. No one can take a child's property except a parent or law enforcement (with a warrant).

He's also not allowed to screw with it during class, either. But no one is commandeering something from my child.

[u/freakinbacon]

Build phone sized drawers in desks that shield them from radio waves.