Granite School District implements new cell phone rules as 2024 school year starts

HOLLADAY — As Granite School District went back to school Wednesday, a new rule was implemented regarding personal devices on campus.

From kindergarten through eighth grade, the new rule means students are not allowed to have personal devices out on school property from bell to bell. In grades nine through 12, no personal tech will be allowed during instructional time, but allows flexibility during passing time and lunch periods.

At Olympus High, the rule has already been in place to prove it out.

“We felt like kids had just been on screens so much. You know, they all had their own chrome books. They all had phones and they were just not as engaged with each other,” said Melissa Stringham, community council member for Granite School District.

At Evergreen Junior High, Stringham said a policy to put away the phones during the school day was passed in April 2021 to start that school year.

The school had a head start, so to speak, as now all schools will be following suit.

“When you come to Evergreen, and you walk down the hall or you go out to lunch, kids are talking to each other. They’re out playing football. They’re playing soccer. They’re having fun,” said Ryan Shaw, Evergreen Junior High Principal.

He said his staff has seen the rule pay off and help mitigate other issues.

“There’s less bullying. There’s less behavior issues that we can share with parents, so it’s mostly about communication. It’s about talking with them. It’s about showing them why we’re doing it and the value that having the zero-tolerance policy brings to the school,” Shaw said.

Shaw said like any new rule, it took some time to get used to not having their phones out at first, but ultimately students adjusted.

“So, we’re not the cellphone police at all … They’re on the phone when they walk in the door. We greet them. We’re talking to kids as that get here. You know, reminding them, hey you got to put your phone away when the bell rings … After the first year, there was really about a 36% decrease in the amount of phones we were taking away. And then the second year (of) implementation we’re down to like 60% decrease from that initial number. So, our teachers really don’t have to worry about it much anymore,” Shaw said.

Stringham says often the pushback she has heard has been parents being concerned about not being able to get a hold of their kids. The Granite School District said accommodations can be made for students with disabilities or medical conditions to ensure there is proper communication between the student and parents during school hours.

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Contributing: Mary Culbertson, KSL TV