Overview:
Denver Public Schools is considering a district-wide cellphone ban; students, teachers, and administrators share their thoughts.
Denver Public Schools seems likely to adopt a districtwide cellphone ban in response to state requirements that all school districts develop new student phone policies by July 1.
A district committee recently recommended that DPS implement a “bell-to-bell” ban, which would prohibit students from accessing phones, smartwatches, earbuds and other personal technology throughout the entire school day. Supporters say the policy would reduce distractions and improve student focus, while critics argue students still need access to devices for communication, emergencies and personal responsibility.
“Phones are a distraction in the classroom,” said Katie Regan, an AVID teacher at Thomas Jefferson High School. “They make cheating easier and stop students from socializing with their peers.”
The proposed policy comes as cellphone bans become increasingly common nationwide. A 17-member DPS committee made up of parents, educators and community members recommended that phones remain inaccessible during the school day, with exceptions for students who require devices for medical reasons, disability accommodations or individualized education plans.
“The policy of putting the phones away just for in-class doesn’t seem to be working effectively, even though the students themselves might like it,” said Sarah Almy Moore, a parent and former DPS employee who was on the committee.
Teachers at Thomas Jefferson High School said they support stronger cellphone restrictions because of the impact devices have on attention. Regan said she regularly sees students become more attentive when phones are removed from the classroom environment.
“When phones are not near them,” Regan said, “students are more focused, and the quality of their work goes up.”
She acknowledged that phones can still serve useful purposes in school settings, including as calculators, educational apps and emergency communication. However, she said any policy would need to be enforced consistently to be effective.
Meghan Tocci, an English teacher at Thomas Jefferson, also supports a ban, arguing that schools should help students develop healthier relationships with technology.
“Many students have become addicted to their phones,” Tocci said. “Schools need to help set healthy boundaries.”
According to Tocci, phones frequently interrupt instruction and make it harder for students to stay engaged.
“Students miss instructions, rush through assignments and lose focus, which can lower the quality of their work and affect their grades,” Tocci said.
Assistant Principal Michelle Killian also voiced support for stronger restrictions, saying phones affect both academic performance and social development.
“Phones are a distraction in the learning environment, and during passing periods students are often late because they are on their phones,” Killian said. “They remove the necessity to work face-to-face with the community.”
While Killian has mixed feelings about allowing phones during lunch or free periods, she acknowledges that many students and families want to communicate, but emphasizes that the school can still contact parents if needed.
Not everyone at Thomas Jefferson supports a cellphone ban. Angela Young, a senior at the school, said phones help students manage outside responsibilities and communicate with family and friends.
“School is boring if it’s just about having classes all day, and it’s important to always be in communication,” Young said. “Students will be happier with phones allowed at school, as phones are a source of entertainment.”
She believes phones can help students manage outside concerns so they can focus better in class, explaining that “when the issues I’m concerned about are resolved, I focus better in class.”
Another student, Bree Clark, said schools should focus on teaching responsible phone use rather than banning devices entirely.
“Phones should not be banned because in case of emergency students need them, and it teaches responsibility to know when not to be on your phone,” Clark said. She argued that phones should be allowed during lunch and free periods because “you don’t have a class to focus on, and using your phone during that time doesn’t affect anything.”
Clark added that teachers sometimes generalize phone misuse by a few students to entire classrooms. “When a teacher sees two or three students using their phone in class, they sometimes apply that judgment to the entire class,” she said.
The DPS Board of Education is expected to continue discussing the proposed policy in the coming weeks, with a final vote anticipated on June 11. Families will be able to provide feedback through surveys and public comment at school board meetings in May and June before the district finalizes its approach.
Whatever happens, Killian insists that the approach be consistent and that something be done about cellphones in the classroom because she has repeatedly seen how “they contribute to loss of learning, bullying, distractions and pull students away from interacting with their friends.”
