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Dubuque schools form cell‑phone advisory group, cite "brain health" concerns and schedule community lecture
Summary
The district created a small advisory group to study student cell‑phone use, enforcement challenges and mental‑health implications; it will survey stakeholders and coordinate recommendations with the state legislative timeline. The district also announced a Nov. 13 lecture by Catherine Price on youth mental health and digital media.
The Dubuque Community School District announced a small advisory group to examine student cell‑phone use, academic distraction and mental‑health effects and to recommend district practices for the 2025–26 school year. The group’s membership includes administrators, a co‑facilitator (Mark Burns), school counselors, teachers, two high‑school students and three parents; it first met Oct. 2.
A staff presenter told the board the advisory group will review current administrative guidelines and district policies (the meeting referenced policy 5.200 on student conduct and 5.504 on responsible use of technology) and will survey students, staff and families to measure community appetite for any change. The group has five meetings scheduled from December through April and will time recommendations to avoid conflict with state legislative developments.
"This is really a brain health, mental health issue as well too," the presenter said, characterizing the group’s focus on social media and online activity in addition to device use in school. The presenter also noted enforcement difficulties and the need to consider staff expectations and consistency across buildings.
District leaders said they plan both a leaders‑only prep session and a public lecture with Catherine Price, author of work on youth anxiety and media, on Wednesday, Nov. 13 at 6:30 p.m. at Senior High School. The district will use those events to gather diverse insights before crafting formal recommendations to administration and the board.
The advisory group will track state activity referenced in discussion as "Senate File 2044" and said it does not want to finalize local rules that could conflict with new state law. The board and staff emphasized outreach to students and families and said any recommendation will include an enforcement and staff‑expectations analysis.
