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Students urge flexible cell-phone rules; board schedules local discussions
Summary
Multiple student speakers at the Wake County Board of Education meeting urged a new district cell-phone policy that lets individual schools and teachers set limits, with exceptions for emergencies. Board members noted upcoming school- and district-level meetings to study policy options.
Students and some board members pressed the Wake County Board of Education on Jan. 21 to craft a cell-phone policy that balances classroom control with flexibility for different schools and emergency access.
Student speakers described pervasive phone use in instruction and urged the district to allow school- or teacher-level discretion, storage options and explicit emergency exceptions. "It should be mandated at the school level, allowing for flexibility between classrooms according to the individual needs of teachers and staff," said Sohan Mohabtar, an 11th-grade student at NLOW High School. "We should give teachers the power to tweak the policy to their needs and allow for the use of cell phones in instruction."
Why it matters: Board members and student advocates said inconsistent enforcement and campus design differences make a single, rigid policy impractical. Speakers warned that phones can both aid instruction and distract students; they recommended a district-led survey and stronger school-level processes to implement any new rule.
Details and debate
Sohan Mohabtar described classroom scenes where students who "know what they're doing" nonetheless use phones during lectures, and urged a policy that allows storage units so phones "cannot disrupt teaching or learning." Zara Hunt, an Enloe High School student, told the board that peers use phones for classwork and communication but that inconsistent enforcement leaves some classrooms dominated by unproductive use. "Any cell phone policy shouldn't be there to restrict us, but to expand our opportunities," Hunt said.
Speakers listed practical concerns: differences in campus layout (breezeways, locker access), schools where students cannot easily access lockers, and recording of fights on phones. Several students and board members recommended a district survey of students, staff and parents to inform policy design.
Board follow-up and next steps
Board members indicated opportunities for local discussion. Vice Chair Swanson said a District 9 BAC meeting will take place Jan. 30 at Sycamore Creek Elementary School; District 4's VAC will discuss cell-phone policy at a Feb. 3 meeting at Hunter Magna Elementary School, according to board remarks. Vice Chair Swanson also referenced Dr. Robson and his team as staff leads who will engage on the issue.
No formal action was taken at the meeting; the public comment period concluded and the board moved on to information and consent items.
Ending
Public speakers asked the board to craft a policy that permits teacher discretion, protects instructional time and preserves emergency contact access. Board members signaled further local meetings and staff-led work to refine options.
