Cellphone and computer usage policies in the Iowa City Community School District classrooms may face changes in the coming months, as the board has begun discussing a possible cellphone ban.

The discussion began after the district received feedback from the community surrounding the use of cellphones and artificial intelligence in school. The Iowa City school board first discussed the policy on July 23, 2024. Since then, the board of directors has dug deeper into the policy while offering additional feedback at recent meetings.

So far, the district and board have discussed removing cellphones from classrooms all together while locking down on what can be accessed on school-issued computers. The board recognized the need for flexibility with students who have unique circumstances, such as safety or special needs, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.

To hear the community’s thoughts on cellphones in the classroom, the district has begun distributing surveys to administrators, staff, and families. The surveys, which will give new insight to the district, were sent out in August and will continue through October, according to meeting documents.

Iowa City Community School District Board Vice President Molly Abraham said the district’s current policy states students should not have phones out while an instructor is teaching.

However, Abraham said the school district and board are trying to change the current policy to ensure that teachers do not need to spend time telling students to get off their phones or put them away.

“As a teacher, it’s just ridiculous saying all the time, ‘Get off the phone.’ It interrupts the instruction. It hurts the relationships,” Abraham said.

Many teachers have voiced their objections to cellphones in the classrooms, while some students and parents believe cellphones are necessary in classrooms, Abraham said.

“It’s going to be really important to get buy-in from parents and kids about why they need to be off their phones during instructional time, and we’ll have to figure out how,” Abraham said.

Other high schools across the country, such as some Los Angeles schools, are beginning to implement new policies regarding cellphones and other technology, according to The Wall Street Journal.

In Iowa, some high schools are also enforcing policies surrounding cellphones. According to Axios Des Moines, a group of Des Moines Public School parents are pushing for a district-wide cellphone ban after Hoover, East, and Lincoln high schools in the metro area banned cellphones and headphones.

The Des Moines metro high schools require cellphones and other devices to be kept in students’ bags while in class — not in their pockets or on desks.

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Many parents, educators, and experts believe cellphones are adding to students’ anxiety and tiredness, while also causing them to struggle with face-to-face interactions, according to Axios. In addition, they believe that cellphones in the classrooms are major distractions.

Iowa City Community School District board member Lisa Williams spoke on the importance of synchronous, unstructured play for children at a board meeting on Aug. 27.

“We’re making sure that our kids are outside having recess… and how important it is to their learning,” Williams said. “And not just their social-emotional development, but just the way they’re going to develop as small beings into adults having this play.”

Ruthina Malone, president of the Iowa City Community School District school board, shared community concerns about the district’s proposed timeline at the Aug. 27 board meeting. The suggested date to present recommendations for change to the board of directors is Oct. 29, according to meeting documents.

“I have heard from a handful of parents and middle schoolers and high schoolers, and the running theme I’ve heard recently is complaints about our timeline,” Malone said.

Malone said at the recent meeting that middle school students in particular believe starting a new policy in the middle of the school year does not seem like the most beneficial option. The community believes starting the new policy at the beginning of the school year will help make the transition easier.

The school district and board will continue to conduct more research while also hearing from nearby districts throughout the next couple of months before changing any policies or practices.

In a statement to families and staff in the district, Iowa City Community School District Superintendent Matt Degner wrote to the district on the potential policy.

“We value the input of our entire community and look forward to working together to develop policies that best support our students’ learning and well-being,” Degner said in the statement. “Your participation in surveys and meetings will be crucial in helping us understand diverse perspectives and needs.”