Cincinnati School’s Cellphone Ban Boosts Student Interaction and Productivity

When was the last time you witnessed a bunch of teens interacting for hours without using their cell phones?

It happens every day at Cincinnati Country Day School’s Indian Hill location.

Country Day, like most schools, has had a no-cellphone policy for several years. This school year, homeroom instructors began collecting students’ phones to be returned at the end of the day, which was rarely enforced according to students, teachers, and administration.

Isabel Ramirez, a senior and student body vice president, stated that she received her first cellphone when she was 13. She stated she used it frequently to talk with pals on social media during the school day and even created TikToks during her freshman advisory session.

Isabel claims that by spending eight hours per day away from her phone, she has gotten to know her peers better and is more productive.

“I go home, pretty much, with no homework now compared to my first couple years of high school,” she added.

Schools across the state are adopting harsher cellphone restrictions in response to rising studies indicating that the devices have a harmful influence on kids’ mental health, academic performance, and social behavior. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and Lt. Gov. Jon Husted have lately spoken out in support of school cellphone bans.

Olivia Ims, an eighth-grade student at Country Day, did not have her cell phone until early this school year. But before that, she claimed, her classmates’ phones came in the way of her developing stronger relationships with them. There was still a no-cellphone ban in place, but Olivia explained that before teachers physically kept kids’ phones out of sight, children would sneak off to the bathroom during class to check social media.

“In seventh grade, everyone was kind of in their groups and they would always be talking about what video they saw on TikTok or Snapchat or Instagram,” she told me. “And I would always be clueless.”

Olivia stated that with this year’s new cellphone policy, her pals are more engaged with one another and discussing topics that everyone can relate to.

“Everything’s just more positive now,” she went on to say.

What About Other Schools’ Cellphone Policies?

The Enquirer examined hundreds of cellphone regulations in school districts across southwest Ohio and Northern Kentucky. Some schools allow students to use their cell phones during passing periods, before and after school, and at lunch. Some schools ask students to switch off their phones and keep them in backpacks or lockers throughout the day. Several policies leave the usage of cell phones to individual teachers. Few places force children to turn off their phones for the entire day, such as Country Day’s new policy.

Princeton High School’s universal protocol requires students to leave their phones at the beginning of each class period and retrieve them at the end of class. Carlisle Jr./Sr. High School teachers can also choose this option. Phone caddies are placed in classrooms in case teachers decide to execute the regulation.

Similarly, Mount Healthy Junior High School is testing a scheme that requires pupils to place their phones in a lock box at the beginning of each core subject.

“The overall response has been positive, and we are considering expanding the program districtwide,” Superintendent Valerie Hawkins said.

Yondr is used in schools around Ohio, including Akron. The program offers kids pouches that they can use to store their phones during the school day and unlock them with a magnetic tap. While school policies differ, most educators and child advocates agree that excessive phone and social media use is detrimental to children’s mental health, concentration, and overall well-being.

According to a 2023 guideline from the US Surgeon General, up to 95% of children aged 13 to 17 report using social media. More than one-third claim to use social media “almost constantly.” The advice cites the potential mental health, academic, and social consequences for children, as well as obsessive behavior caused by social media use. Excessive, uncontrollable use of social media platforms has been related to sleep and focus problems, as well as feelings of exclusion.

Matthew Wood, a freshman at Country Day, admits to having “an unhealthy habit of constantly checking my phone for notifications.” Before the new policy, even though his phone was stowed away in his backpack, he would check it throughout the day “just to see what popped up.”

The new policy is “kind of freeing, in a sense,” Matthew added, “to not feel like you need to check that every five seconds.”

A consumer research study published in the University of Chicago Press Journals found that the sheer presence of cell phones reduced cognitive function. A comparable study by German researchers, published in the National Library of Medicine, discovered that the presence of cell phones impairs work performance and reduces attention spans.

Jeanette Hecker has taught global languages at Country Day for 25 years. She claims that cell phones have harmed her students’ long-term memory and note-taking abilities. Before the cellphone prohibition, Hecker would see students take photos of her board rather than memorizing or writing down instructions and notes in class.

This year, she’s noticed a return to proper note-taking. Wood claimed he’s also taking better notes now.

What About Emergencies?

Rob Zimmerman, the head of Country Day School, stated that the research largely justified his decision to ban cell phones. Nonetheless, some parents were wary about the new policy at the start of the school year, he stated. In many situations, parents contact their children during the school day.

“What if there’s an emergency?” was a common response Zimmerman reported receiving from families.

However, after discussing with local law enforcement, Zimmerman stated that it is ideal if children do not have telephones during an emergency. Accurate information and updates are critical in severe situations, and schools can improve communication and prevent misinformation from spreading if students do not use phones.

“It’s been a hugely successful cultural shift for our community − more successful than I thought it might be,” Mr. Zimmerman said. However, he believes that a smartphone ban will not be effective in all Cincinnati schools. “I also think it’s not a one-size-fits-all approach.”

Isabel stated that the change was challenging at first, but pupils are now accustomed to being phone-free during the school day. Wood admitted that he sometimes forgets to get his phone at the end of the day.

“Now, everyone’s so much more social,” Olivia added. “It’s so much more, like, an enjoyable day.”