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Teacher praise for classroom cell-phone sleeves; PCTA president raises administrator conduct concerns
Summary
Brent Robinson, a history teacher at Pinellas Innovation, told the Oct. 28 Pinellas County School Board meeting that a classroom pilot requiring locked cell-phone sleeves has reduced bullying and increased in-class engagement.
Brent Robinson, a history teacher at Pinellas Innovation, told the board on Oct. 28 that his school'which requires students to place phones in locked classroom sleeves each morning'has seen reduced incidents of bullying and improved student engagement.
"What's most important about this is the profound impact this is making in my classroom," Robinson said. He described the device and the daily routine of students unlocking phones only after they leave campus and thanked school leaders who piloted the practice.
Later in the public-comment period Lee Bryant, president of the Pinellas Classroom Teachers Association and a 30-year Pinellas teacher, urged district leaders to address continuing contract and evaluation concerns. "We have teachers that are afraid to bring up problems ... because they're afraid of the ramifications," Bryant said, and accused some administrators of using evaluations and meeting attendance to pressure teachers.
The board did not take formal action on either public comment; the speakers were presented during the general public-comment period that follows the board'members'reports section.
