Mesa junior-high students present proposals to tighten cell‑phone rules at Hacktivate study session

Dozens of Mesa Public Schools junior‑high students presented their recommendations for a district cell‑phone policy during a study session portion of the April board meeting, urging limits during class and passing periods while allowing supervised use at lunch.

The presentations, organized as part of a district “Hacktivate” inquiry project, included proposals from six teams representing multiple junior highs. Presenters described a mix of approaches: a common idea was banning phones in classrooms and during passing periods and allowing them at lunch; another recurring suggestion was a graduated discipline system — warnings followed by temporary office confiscation and parent pick‑up for repeat incidents. Students also proposed dedicated storage like “phone cubbies” or Yonder pouches, and suggested exceptions for medical needs.

“MPS’s phone policy — we believe that schools should not allow phones during classroom or passing periods because they would disrupt learning time,” said McKenna Stowell, a student from Fremont Junior High, summarizing her team’s view on classroom use. Other students emphasized civil discourse, accommodations for students with disabilities and alternatives such as phone lockers or supervised use for collaborative work and emergencies.

Presenters described how teams practiced civil discussion and research before producing a “cell‑phone contract” with expectations and consequences. Proposed consequences varied by team but commonly included: first offense — phone taken to office and returned at day’s end; second offense — parent pick‑up required; repeat offenses — written contract or further discipline. Several teams cited mental‑health and distraction concerns when arguing for limits, while also recognizing benefits such as emergency contact and accessibility features for students with disabilities.

Board members and staff asked clarifying questions about implementation details — how to track repeated infractions, how to handle dissenting students or parents, and how to accommodate students with medical needs. One student described teachers using tally marks to document repeat infractions in a practical classroom method; others suggested teachers keep notes or use school spreadsheets to track repeats.

District staff thanked the students and noted the presentations would inform future policy discussions and student engagement efforts. The study session presentations were followed by the regular board meeting.