South Pasadena board hears large public push to extend 'away all day' phone ban to high school; board considers splitting K–8 and high school policies

The South Pasadena Unified School District Board of Education spent more than two hours July discussing revisions to BP 5131.8 (mobile communications devices) after a sustained public comment campaign urging the board to extend the district's elementary and middle‑school ‘away all day’ phone policy to the high school.

A majority of public commenters asked the board to adopt an “away all day” approach at South Pasadena High School — i.e., students not carrying active phones during campus hours — arguing the policy would reduce distraction, improve social interaction and lower anxiety. Parents, teachers and community volunteers described petitions (more than 350 signatures reported by petition organizers), scholarship reliance for extracurriculars and student mental‑health concerns when phones are present. “I hope the board will adopt an away all day policy,” said Abby McCrae, a former teacher and parent who spoke during the…