ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Do students need cell phones at school? That’s the question many school districts are working to answer, including Pinellas County.

On Tuesday, the school board has its first reading of a proposed cell phone policy, and board members say this is a last call for parents who want to chime in.

What You Need To Know

  • 1st Reading of Pinellas County Schools cell phone policy is at April 22 School Board Meeting

  • Proposed policy only allows cell phone use in high schools, and not during class time

  • Current policy allows principals to decide what's best for their school

The proposed cell phone policy allows elementary and middle school students to bring phones to school, but they must be turned off and out of sight.

In high schools, students can bring their phones, but can only use them during approved times, and never in class. The policy has gotten some mixed reviews from parents, like Christie Bruner, who has two kids in Pinellas County schools right now.

Bruner says she would be very happy if Pinellas Schools said no cell phones at any school, but she realizes enforcement and implementation of that would be very difficult.

“I encourage them to turn off their notifications, turn off their vibrations, they’re like ‘it’s fine, it’s fine, it doesn’t bother me,’ but they don’t really know what it’s like to not have a phone and to not have the distraction and to actually be focused,” she said.

Bruner is one of over 8,000 people who participated in a survey conducted by Pinellas County Schools earlier this year on what the cell phone policy should be. 

Laura Hine, Chair of the School Board, says at first, she agreed with Bruner, and thought no phones would be the best policy, but after visiting high schools, she had a change of heart.

Hine says she talked to principals about what policy is actually practical, and limited use is feasible.

“There is clearly a general consensus in society that technology is harming our youth and we have to do something about it,” she said. “We see it in the increase in public discourse, the litigation, the legislation that is out there against technology companies and so as Pinellas County Schools assessed, what does this look like in our schools, I think we are tightening up and absolutely should be.”

Right now, in Pinellas County Schools, students are discouraged from having their phones at school, but it’s up to principals to decide what’s best at their school.

If approved, this policy would be district wide.