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Summit Board to review student cell‑phone policy after parents urge ban
Summary
After multiple parents urged the board to ban student smartphones at school, Superintendent Scott Huff said current grade‑level rules will be reviewed and administration will convene a group by the end of the school year to recommend a cell‑phone policy.
The Summit Board of Education on Feb. 13 heard several parents press for a stricter district policy on student smartphones and told the public the administration will review existing practices and convene a group to recommend a formal policy by the end of the school year.
The request followed Superintendent Scott Huff’s summary of current practice: “At the elementary, students must have their cell phones turned off and placed in the backpacks until the end of the day. At the middle school, students must have their cell phones turned off and kept in their locker until the end of the day. And at the high school, students may keep their cell phones on them but are not allowed to use them during class time unless teachers ask them to use it as a tool for instructional purposes,” Huff said.
Why it matters: Parents told the board they view school hours as an opportunity to limit students’ access to screens for behavioral and mental‑health reasons and asked the district to adopt a uniform check‑in approach across grade levels.
Multiple parents described classroom and lunchtime distraction and urged a more central, enforceable policy. “Would support a full ban, on smartphones, a real policy shift in Summit where elementary, middle, and high school students check their phones in in the morning and pick them up in the afternoon,” said Emily Stanashevsky, a Summit parent. Rhonda Barclay, another parent, said she and other families would welcome clearer, coordinated rules between home and school. “We have the passion, smarts, and will to make this happen if we can collaborate between parents and the school board with clear objectives and quick clear metrics,” Barclay said. Ariel Denson added that parents want a dialogue with the district about the “pros” the district sees for students having access during the day; Michelle Wallach described uneven classroom compliance and said some teachers adopt ad hoc rules such as bins or shoe dividers.
Board and staff response: Board leaders said the administration is gathering input and will bring recommendations. The district referenced existing policy 5516 on student possession and use of electronic devices and told speakers it will continue to monitor the effectiveness of current practices and convene stakeholders before making formal changes. The board also noted that questions raised at the meeting will be answered either directly by the superintendent or on the public record at the next board meeting.
What’s next: Superintendent Huff told the board he expects administration to convene a review and make a recommendation by the end of the school year. The board did not adopt any new rule at the Feb. 13 meeting.
Votes: The board approved the superintendent’s report items A–C (which included the personnel and administrative items presented with the superintendent’s report). Recorded roll call: Stanton — yes; Mahecha — yes; Kelly — yes; Erday — yes; Cho — yes; Vice President Cohen — yes; President Justice — yes. Outcome: approved.
