Anchor Bay District to invoke device-free policy for students next year
Anchor Bay School District in Southeast Michigan will have a phone-free policy for all students during the school day, starting in the fall.
The "away for the day" device policy will require all students to turn off their personal electronic devices and keep them in a locker or cubby from the start of the school day until the dismissal bell.
The list of devices affected includes cell phones, smartwatches, earbuds and personal laptops. Exceptions can be arranged for medical or accessibility needs.
"The district's goal with this policy is to minimize distractions in the classroom, encourage face-to-face interactions, and enhance overall student engagement in learning," the announcement said. "Parents and guardians are encouraged to discuss this policy with their students and help ensure a smooth transition when the policy goes into effect."
Anchor Bay School District serves about 5,500 students in parts of Macomb and St. Clair counties.
There's a push both in Michigan and across the country for more consistency and expectations of when and where cell phones are appropriate for students to have access to on a school campus.
Michigan House Bill 4141, which is currently pending, attempts to set rules based on the academic grade level of students. For example, K-5 students would not be allowed to have phones at all; while high school students could have the phones but are not allowed to use them during class instructional time.
And in March, a national coalition signed a letter that called for every school in the country to invoke a phone-free policy for students.
