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Board weighs phone policy options under AB 3216 after divided public and student testimony
Summary
BPRC recommended bell‑to‑bell bans for K–8 and posed options for high school (bell‑to‑bell or instructional‑time ban). The meeting featured lengthy, divided testimony: neuroscientists urged full bans to protect developing brains, while many high‑school students and trustees urged instructional‑time limits and student agency. Staff/BPRC were asked to draft policy language and propose a revisit timeline.
The Palo Alto Unified board spent significant time Oct. 14 discussing a forthcoming cell-phone policy required by California’s AB 3216 (effective July 1, 2026). A board policy review committee recommended bell‑to‑bell bans for kindergarten through eighth grade and asked the full board to choose one of two approaches for high schools: a bell‑to‑bell ban that covers the entire school day or a ban focused on instructional time only with clear, legally required exceptions.
Public commentary was strongly split. A neuroscientist argued that…
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