Hayden Langford
The statewide ban on smartphones during the school day is going well in the Jamestown Public Schools district.
Jamestown School Board ex-officio student member Hayden Langford said there were some initial delays the first day of school at the high school, “…with everyone getting their pouches sorted and getting them checked. The Senior line that we had going actually works super well. I think that’s run very smoothly. The main doors where the rest of the students go in was a little backed up. But, honestly, it’s running a lot smoother than I thought it would at the start of the day, at the end of the day, and in between. Obviously, some kids are finding ways to get around that and breaking them or not shutting them all the way, or kind of prying them open in the bathroom whenever they can.”
Langford said he’s seeing an impact already, “The lunchroom is a lot louder but at least kids are actually talking. I’ve seen so much interaction, even myself. I feel like I’ve had to kind of communicate more with the people around me. So, I find myself reaching for my phone all the time when I’m in uncomfortable or awkward situations and I can’t do it anymore. So, there’s definitely a learning curve but I’m actually very thankful for the sort of learning experience it’s brought. I’m sure a lot of kids are too.”
JPS Superintendent Dr. Kevin Whitaker echoed Langford’s sentiments, “I walked down the hallway and said, ‘Hello’ and ‘Good morning’ to about 20 students and 20 of them looked me in the eye and said, ‘Good morning.’ It’s a first! It’s a miracle! They’re human, ladies and gentlemen. So, that has been really nice. More conversations with people, more eye contact, more social interaction. So far, things are going great.”
Whitaker gave “kudos” to the high school’s staff and administrators for their work in putting together the process for checking phone pouches as students enter for the day and how unlocking phones is handled throughout the school day.
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