Cape Girardeau Public Schools continue no cellphone policy

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KBSI) – The Cape Girardeau Public Schools district is one of the first in the area to completely ban cell phone use during the school day for students. School administrators are saying they have seen big improvements.   

Cape school’s deputy superintendent says the district will keep its no cell phone policy this year and expand it to the junior high school. Both Cape Central High School and the junior high will use the Yondr system to keep cellphones safely put away during the school day. The Yondr system is a magnetic locking cellphone pouch that allows students to disable their phone for the school day.

 Deputy Superintendent Brice Beck of Cape Public Schools explains that they’ve seen big improvements in students since using the system.

“We’ve seen a very visible difference, just the peer interaction, the student to teacher interaction going on daily,” said Beck. 

At the end of the school day there is a magnetic unlocking device located in hallways and on tables for students to retrieve their phones. Beck says cellphones were becoming a real problem for teachers and limiting the time students spent paying attention and learning.  

“We had an overwhelming positive response to the impanation of Yondr and basically the summary was it was minimizing distractions in the classroom,” said Beck. “Students were able to focus more on learning and it minimized the amount of classroom management situations teachers were having on a daily basis.” 

Laura Brown is a therapist at Lutheran Family and Children Services. She says technology is playing a big role in development for children and young adults and she agrees in limiting access to cellphones at school. 

“Electronics are huge,” said Brown. They’re everywhere. Were definently in a technology driven world right now. So we can’t really avoid them. We’re trying to figure out ways to incorporate them and teach kids how to use them safely while not just cutting them out of their life.”  

Other school leaders in the area say they are looking at ways to follow Cape’s lead in banning cell phone use in the classroom. Paducah Public Schools leaders are looking into the system as well.

Brown says she feels this is a step in the right direction. 

“A big impact for the better because kids are talking face to face, maybe even to new people and they’re making new friends,” said Brown. “So that’s a wonderful thing ya know instead of looking down and being on the phone the whole time.” 

Brown says too much screen time can lead to things like social anxiety and screen time should be limited.  

“Ultimately the parents get to decide what they think is reasonable but the less the better,” she said.