This Central Maine School District Has (Mostly) Banned Cellphones

Even though the 2022 / 2023 school year will be the most "normal" school year we have had since the 2018 / 2019 school year, things will be a little different in Lewiston.

According to WCSH 6, the administration in the Lewiston School District has made the decision to all but completely ban cellphones in schools.  Under this ban, students in kindergarten through 8th grade are prohibited from having their phones out at school.  Clearly, they can have them at school, but they need to be left in their backpacks or lockers.  High school students can use their phones at school, but only outside of class.

Surprisingly, such bans are actually quite rare.  An extensive internet search only found one other smartphone ban in the State of Maine.  In the Spring of 2022, the Westbrook school system announced that 7th graders would no longer be allowed to use their phones at school.  That restriction was brought on by concerns about cyber bullying.  Students in grades K through 6 were already prevented from using their phones at school.

According to administrators, one of the big reasons for the ban was to prevent disruptions in class.  Following several years of pandemic-caused disruptions in education, teacher are hoping for a year free of disruptions.

While some parents were concerned about their children being separated from their phones (if the phones needed to be in a student's locker or in a backpack), but most parents and students understood that the phones could be a disruption if they were allowed in class.

What is your opinion?  We want to know.  Send us a message through our app or on Facebook.