USD 383 hears Manhattan High proposal to keep personal devices out of class; no vote

Manhattan-Ogden USD 383 Board of Education members on May 7 heard a detailed proposal from Manhattan High School principal Mister Dorst to restrict studentsuse of personal electronic devices during instructional time and to enforce the rule through secure storage "carriers," a locked pouch system for repeat offenses and a centralized teacher reporting process.

The proposal, presented at the boardmeeting, would allow students to use phones and other devices before school, after school, during passing periods and at lunch but requires devices to be stored in school-provided carriers for the full class period. Dorst said the intent is to "keep our instructional time and honor the need to have a distraction free instructional time at Manhattan High School." The board did not vote on the proposal; administrators said it would be piloted and refined before any district policy change.

Why it matters: Administrators and teachers told the board that pervasive device use is disrupting instruction and contributing to teacher burnout. The school proposes a layered approach combining equipment, teacher reporting and administrative follow-up rather than an immediate, campuswide ban; students, teachers and parents asked the board to weigh student safety, classroom logistics and equity as the district considers any final policy.

What the proposal would require and how it would work

- Secure storage: Students would place phones and other personal devices (including wearable devices and laptops when used as personal devices) into a carrier at the start of the day or class period. For second and subsequent violations teachers would place…