LACEY, Wash. — Cell phones are not on the back-to-school supplies list for North Thurston Public Schools students this year.
Students at all of the schools in the district will be required to turn off their phones at the start of the school day and leave them off until the end of classes.
Under the "off and away all day" expectation, phones must be shut down and smartwatches have to be put in airplane mode for the entire school day. Parents with emergencies will need to call the front offices.
The district imposed a similar expectation on middle school students last year. The guidelines expand to high schoolers when classes start in September.
Elementary school students are not allowed to use cell phones on campus.
The change came following a request from the teachers union, the North Thurston Education Association.
Chinook Middle School science teacher Brandon D’Arcangelo said devices cause distractions for students.
”Kids are pulling them out in the middle of class,” said D’Arcangelo, “They don’t feel any restriction on it. They’ll use it in the middle of the hallway, they’ll use it in a class, they’ll use it on a test.”
Students who use their phones during the day will not be reprimanded, said district spokesperson Amy Blondin, they will be reminded of the expectation.
Will this be the end of cell phones in Washington schools? Students from the neighboring Olympia School District hope not.
"No, No. I don't like it at all. I think it's taking away a useful learning tool," one student said. "You never know when you're going to be put in a situation at school … if an unfortunate school shooting were to happen, I want to text my mom."