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Honestly, I’m at a loss. It’s so hard to get a single school of teachers to stick to one policy, let alone at a district or state level. When I send an all-staff email at my school (and they’re occasionally important with scheduling details), Outlook often tells me that only 67% of them even opened it.
I feel like you’d either have to: a) incorporate cellphones as a tool in class and have standard repercussions (e.g. 1st/2nd time earn a detention, 3rd time earn a Saturday school) for kids texting/on social media, or b) do something like a box on the desk so it’s visible but they can’t touch it.
I just don’t think it’s possible to ban them at school. Too many parents don’t respect any school authority figures after COVID with all the culture war stuff (fight to return to full day school, fight to not wear masks, fight to censor bipoc and lgbtq+ books/lessons/celebrations, etc.). I think either way, it’ll just end up being another shitty part of a teacher’s job.
It’s an old-fashioned thing to do. When my cousin got married, my aunt gave her a lot of shit for not doing it, so when I got married, I did it, but I don’t know many people my age who have. I’m 39, also born and raised in Chicago (where my aunt and cousin still live), but I’m in California now. My family also has a bit of money (not a ton, but they’ve always had a decent living) and “family name” type pride, so I’m not sure if that’s a factor.