Upper Saint Clair students will return to school with new rules for cell phone use

In two weeks, students from the Upper Saint Clair School District will head back to class, and this year, there are new rules when it comes to cell phones and other electronics.

Some fear the changes are not enough.

“It does not seem to be consistent with research or best practices on how to go about creating a phone-free environment that’s beneficial for kids’ learning and kids’ social skills,” Katie Talarico-Ramirez said.

Talarico-Ramirez and Dr. Nick Flower are co-founders of the parent-led advocacy group USC Unplugged.

“As a clinical psychologist, I see this all the time in my practice, are the negative and harmful effects that this constant availability of devices has done to consciousness and the mental health of our young people and our adults,” Flower said.

Which is why he and others are behind a strong push to get Personal Electronic Devices, or PEDs, out of the classroom.

On Monday, the Upper Saint Clair school board rolled out its new administration regulation to the existing policy regarding electronic devices, which the district says will provide consistency across all grades. Kindergarten through 6th graders aren’t allowed to use cell phones in school, and if a smartwatch is used, it must be in do-not-disturb mode.

“The devices, even if they’re on do not disturb, that’s still a huge problem because research shows that even if a device is on do not disturb, it’s still causing cognitive distraction,” Flower said.

7th-8th grade students can bring the electronics to school but have to silence their phones and leave them in a locker unless given the go-ahead by a teacher. 9-10th graders are allowed to use their PEDs during study and lunch and the same goes for 11-12th graders. The policy gives teachers the final authorization for most usage.

“It’s also putting a huge burden on our teachers to police these devices throughout the school day,” Talarico-Ramirez said.

Those with USC unplugged say they’ve been fighting for a “bell-to-bell no device policy.”

“Phones are securely away from the first bell of the school day to the last bell of the school day,” Talarico-Ramirez said.

Currently, 17 states plus D.C. have the bell-to-bell policy. The goal is to get it here.

Parents say they’re glad the district is acknowledging the impact these devices have, but say they’re going to continue to push for a bell-to-bell policy.

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