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Trustees discuss phone-free schools after book study; no policy vote
Summary
Sweetwater County School District No. 1 trustees spent much of a board meeting discussing a book study that advocates phone-free schools and possible changes to district policy; trustees emphasized education and community outreach but did not take formal action.
Trustees for Sweetwater County School District No. 1 spent a portion of their June meeting reviewing the final chapters of a book recommending “FoamFreeSchools” and discussing whether the district should tighten rules on student cell phone and personal-device use in classrooms.
The conversation began when Chair Wright read a passage summarizing the book’s view of parenting and learning: “Our job as parents is not to make a particular kind of child,” he said. That prompted a broad discussion among trustees and administrators about taking devices out of classrooms and emphasizing play-based learning.
Why it matters: Trustees framed the issue as both educational and cultural, saying it could affect classroom focus, equity of access and the district’s instructional strategy. Several trustees said states have enacted laws restricting phone use in schools and suggested the district should study legislative models and enforcement mechanisms before proposing local policy changes.
Trustees debated scope and approach. Some argued for a “bell-to-bell” ban on phones during instructional time, while others urged a more flexible policy that would allow district-controlled devices for classroom programs that are unavailable on personal devices. Trustees and administrators also raised concerns about secondary effects, such as students using district tablets and laptops to access YouTube or other noninstructional content.
No formal action was taken. Board members said the discussion would inform future policy work and community outreach; they recommended education-first messaging, pilot options, and collecting feedback from parents and staff before drafting any regulatory language.
The board asked staff to compile examples of state laws and sample policy language for the policy committee to review. Trustees emphasized that any future rule would be subject to public comment and possible revision.
