Lebanon school board advances first reading of policy to limit high‑school cell phone use

The Lebanon City Schools Board advanced a first reading of policy 5136 on Monday, moving the district toward stricter limits on student cell phone use at the high school.

Superintendent (speaking to the board) said the change follows staff visits to other districts and local survey results supporting a shift. He told the board that option C received 152 first‑place votes from 252 staff respondents and that, in a follow‑up sample of about 90–93 respondents, roughly 81 percent supported adopting the junior‑high model for the high school. "It's a requirement for 2025," he said of a new state expectation, "but I said to everybody, if we believe it's the right thing to do, then why do we wait for a year?" The board approved the first reading by roll call and scheduled a final vote in July.

Under the proposed language, preschool through eighth grade would continue the existing restriction; the high school would restrict phone use during instructional time while allowing devices before and after school, during lunch and at supervised extracurricular events when they do not disrupt instruction. The superintendent described carve‑outs for medical needs and individualized education program (IEP) accommodations.

Board members and staff described observed effects at the junior high after a similar policy: "students are more attentive and engaged during lessons," the superintendent reported, and "less instructional time is lost due to teachers fighting about cell phones." He also summarized staff anecdotes that some students who had struggled academically participated more when phones were restricted.

Members raised enforcement and equity concerns: one board member asked how staff would handle smartwatches and emerging internet‑enabled wearables, and another asked about parents' ability to contact students in emergencies. The superintendent said staff addressed emergency contact scenarios by directing families to the office so a caring adult can assist the student, and noted the policy includes exceptions for medically necessary devices (for example, blood‑glucose monitors) and IEP‑specified accommodations.

The superintendent also said the district has reviewed external research and met with community organizations about social media and youth mental health, and intends to start communicating the rationale and implementation details to families before final adoption. The board will consider the policy at a final reading next month.