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Weston parents, researchers urge strict bell-to-bell ban on student phones
Summary
Parents, a Harvard professor and students urged the Weston Public Schools Committee to adopt a straightforward "bell-to-bell" ban on personal phones during school hours, citing attention, learning and mental health concerns; some speakers pointed to a recent Massachusetts attorney general toolkit recommending total bans.
A string of parents, a Harvard professor and students urged the Weston Public Schools School Committee to adopt a strict restriction on student smartphone use during school hours, arguing that phones impair attention, classroom conversation and mental health.
The request came during the public portion of a public budget hearing, where speakers said the committee’s upcoming decision on a district phone policy provides an opportunity to set a clear rule before the next school year.
Allison Brooks, a Weston resident and Harvard Business School professor, told the committee that scientific research and classroom experience both support a strict ban. "Phones do not belong in our kids' hands during the school day," Brooks said, arguing that conversational skills and learning are disrupted when students toggle between devices and face-to-face interaction. She proposed a simple, easy-to-enforce policy covering classrooms, hallways, cafeterias and other school-managed spaces.
Eric Varney, a parent, cited a toolkit released by the Massachusetts attorney general on Jan. 27 that lists three policy approaches and recommends a total "bell-to-bell" ban for most age groups. "For all age groups, the AG's office recommends a total bell to bell ban and says that 'total bans tend to be most effective,'" Varney said, asking the committee to adopt that approach before the next school year.
Speakers emphasized simplicity and enforceability. Brooks said successful rules must be "easy for everyone to understand, easy for kids and teachers to stick to, easy for parents to explain and actually believe in, easy for teachers and administrators to enforce." Varney added that superintendents in Massachusetts who have implemented bell-to-bell bans reported improvements in attention, peer relationships and reductions in cyberbullying.
No formal policy vote took place at the hearing; the committee continued discussion of the budget and the phone policy work remains on the governance committee's schedule. The district plans additional community forums and a survey on related scheduling and policy topics, and the administration has said it will return later with a proposal for committee review.
