LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Recently, Arkansas officials and lawmakers have attempted to tackle the problem of phone use in the classroom.
First, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced on July 2 a program that will give money to Arkansas schools if they use pouches for students to store their phones in during the day.
Shortly after, Rep. Bruce Westerman announced that he was cosponsoring a bipartisan bill that would have a similar effect nationwide.
"It's something we've dealt with,” White Hall Middle School Principal Les Davis said. "I'm sure they're responding to school officials saying that this has become a real problem."
Davis said phones can be a distraction for kids and can also lead to more significant issues for students, such as picture-taking, bullying and even mental health problems.
He said White Hall Middle School has tried several things, such as allowing phones at different times throughout the day, and he thinks the governor’s new program could help.
"We have applied for that grant, and I've done a lot of research on that,” Davis said. "We're not going to have the pouches to start school, but we're hoping to develop procedures and policies the first semester and have that ready to go [for] the second semester."
Other school districts are also interested in the plan.
Little Rock School District Communications Director Pamela Smith said they're considering getting involved.
“LRSD will be speaking with our board, school leaders, staff and our community to determine the next steps regarding the state’s pilot program,” Smith said. “Which could provide a solution to some of the negative impacts of student cell phone usage during school.”
However, some parents have expressed concern about being unable to reach their children in case of emergencies, meaning the debate over this idea will likely continue into the fall.
And the proposals are a little more complicated than just locking up phones.
Sanders's plan would also fund student mental health services, and Westerman’s bill would include a study on the effects of phone use in the classroom.