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Anchor Bay board debates districtwide ban on student cell phones; split among trustees
Summary
Trustees held a lengthy first reading of a proposed policy to ban personal electronic devices during the school day, with several members citing student safety and disciplinary incidents and one member urging a more instructional, permissive approach. No vote was taken; second reading is scheduled for the next meeting.
The Anchor Bay School District Board of Education on April 25 discussed a proposed policy that would ban student use of personal electronic devices while on school property, with trustees expressing sharply different views on whether the district should prohibit phones entirely or teach responsible use.
The board opened the floor for discussion during the policy’s first reading. Several trustees urged the ban, citing student safety incidents, Title IX–related cases, and disruptions at middle and high schools. “We have had a couple of Title IX issues,” Trustee Bergmeier said, adding that some incidents involved phones and social media. Bergmeier and several colleagues said middle school South already enforces a near-ban and that enforcement reduced disruptions there.
Trustee Venatelli, who led the exchange, said research and local incidents convinced him a strong policy is needed. “A wide body of research shows that consistent media use is not good,” he said, citing impacts on sleep, attention, and self-esteem. Trustees described episodes in which students coordinated brief fights on social media, then recorded them; administrators said by the time staff or the school resource officer could respond the incidents were over.
Trustee Richards said the policy discussion had been underway for nearly two years in the district and that the board had been considering changes gradually. “There is already a cell phone ban within the school district as well,” he said, noting this proposal refines existing practice.
Trustee Kristin (last name not provided) dissented from a full ban, saying she supports limiting classroom use but prefers a model that teaches students to use phones as tools. “I believe phones are a tool,” she said, adding she wants staff to have resources to teach appropriate use rather than a blanket prohibition.
Board members also discussed lunchtime use. Several trustees argued against permitting phones at lunch, saying unstructured time still produced harmful behavior such as sharing images or arranging fights. Others acknowledged concerns about equity and safety: parents and students sometimes rely on phones for family check-ins, translation and accessibility tools, and contact during emergencies.
Superintendent Jankowski and staff said the policy is in a first-reading stage: no vote was held; a second reading and possible vote is scheduled for the board’s next meeting. Trustees asked administration to anticipate implementation details — exceptions for medical needs, handling of accommodations, and how the policy would be enforced at elementary, middle and high school levels.
Trustees and staff also noted the district is watching developments elsewhere: other Michigan districts have sought similar rules, and emergency responders have mentioned how phone-related behavior has complicated evacuations and drills.
The board agreed to continue the discussion at the second reading, and trustees asked administration to provide specifics on enforcement, accommodations, and communications to families ahead of any final vote.
