Parents press Pacific Grove USD for stricter phone rules; board approves CSBA policy update
Get AI-powered insights, summaries, and transcripts
Subscribe
Summary
Public commenters urged a full‑day 'bell‑to‑bell' cellphone ban at Pacific Grove High School. Trustees approved a set of CSBA policy updates that staff said will restrict personal devices in class and rely on district‑issued Chromebooks for instruction; the board signaled ongoing review and further community engagement.
Several parents urged Pacific Grove Unified trustees on Dec. 11 to adopt stricter restrictions on student smartphone use, arguing that full‑day bans improve focus and reduce absenteeism in the long term.
Caitlin Van Zanten, cofounder of Smartphone Free Kids Monterey Bay, asked the board to consider a bell‑to‑bell ban requiring mobile devices be stored for the entire school day. “Allowing kids to access their mobile devices during passing times and lunch times is a problem,” she said, citing research that students take as long as 20 minutes to refocus after using a phone.
Lauren Heflin, a parent and cofounder of the same local group, also urged a full‑day restriction and said the group’s local pledge had gathered more than 260 signups from families in the area.
Trustees discussed the recommended CSBA policy updates later in the agenda. Superintendent Adamson told the board that the language before trustees would make in‑class device use more restrictive: the district will prefer district‑issued Chromebooks for instructional activities and tighten permission for personal devices. “All we’re doing tonight in approving this is really adding more restrictive language, which I think is what we want,” Adamson said.
Trustees and staff acknowledged competing concerns about safety and student access. One parent warned that students who drive or participate in dual‑enrollment off campus need phones for safety and coordination; staff said any policy must account for those safety needs and federal/state guidance.
Trustee discussion emphasized the need for more community input and for the district’s updated ed‑tech plan to guide future choices on classroom device programs. Trustees asked staff to return with additional evidence and options for high‑school practice, and staff said school‑level teams were already discussing more restrictive practices between passing periods.
After discussion, the board voted unanimously to adopt the CSBA board policy updates as presented. Trustees said the vote did not close future discussion; staff will continue community outreach and may return with additional proposals for high‑school device access and the district ed‑tech plan.