Franklin County Superintendent to Recommend Expanding Cellphone Ban to Include High School

The Franklin County Charter School System is working on a plan to ban cellphones for students at Franklin County High School, ahead of a bill being considered this session by State Lawmakers.

SB1009 would expand the existing ban on the use of cellphones by students in the classroom from grades K-8 to K-12, and if passed, would go into effect for the 2027-2028 academic year.

Tonight, School Superintendent Melanie Burton-Brown is expected to recommend to the School Board that, after a period of public comment, the Board approve expanding the current cellphone policy from K-8 to K-12, starting in August for the 2026-2027 school year.

At their called meeting last Thursday, the Board of Education heard a presentation by two high school social studies teachers who are trying out a lockable cell phone pouch when their students come to class.

Drew Phillips and Aaron Campbell told the Board they have been using the pouches, made by a company called Yondr, in their classrooms this year.

Phillips said they started using the pouches after doing research that showed a dramatic increase in student engagement when they don’t have access to their cellphones.

 

When students come to class, they place their cellphones in the pouches, which are then locked magnetically and can only be unlocked by tapping the pouch on a special unlocking base that the teacher has.

Phillips said he and Campbell are very pleased with the system, which, even though locked in a pouch, allows the students to keep the phones with them.

He said they both have seen a dramatic difference in how students engage in the classroom since they began using the pouches.

Aaron Campbell teaches the honors social studies class.

He showed a comparison of test scores for his students between the fall and spring when the cellphone pouches went into use, and said scores actually went up.

Phillips and Campbell recommended that this month’s discussions begin with parents and stakeholders on the benefits of using the pouches.

They then recommended a pilot study update and more communication to take place in March, and in April and May, begin teacher/student education with advisement sessions to educate students on the use and reasoning behind using the pouches.

If approved by the Board tonight, the school system will begin to implement the use of pouches for all students at the start of the 2026-2027 academic year.