New policies for the new school year
Stephanie Kim, Editor
There are a number of policies that have been recently signed that will impact the school day for students starting this fall semester. One of those policies is the distraction-free classrooms.
This policy requires Missouri school districts and charter schools to ban the use of students’ personal “electronic devices” throughout the school day. This also includes during breaks, such as lunch, between classes, and during study hall. This measure aims to reduce the number of distractions students may experience from learning.
Though many see the intention behind banning cell phones, students are not looking forward to the ban. Stating worries about getting in touch with parents as needed and how this will change their routines. Parents, too, have concerns with reaching their children; however, do understand the use of the policy, hoping that schools will allow students to use the school’s phones when needed.
One local parent of a young child spoke on the policy’s positives stating that they hope the policy will “force kids to think twice before being absolutely rude and unkind to others, it will drive them to strengthen their communication skills with peers, strengthen emotional regulation, delay instant gratification, foster teamwork, amongst a bunch of other things.”
Another parent discussed that they’re excited about how the policy could potentially help with privacy in school, saying, “The impulse to record everything, especially conflicts or embarrassing moments, creates a stressful environment. It can lead to cyberbullying, invasion of privacy, and students or teachers feeling like they’re always on display.”
Many teachers feel the policy is a good thing, though they worry about the ability to actually enforce it. A local grade school teacher said, “I can tell kids every day to keep them out of sight or gone, but at the end of the day, there is one teacher in a room of 30 kids in a building with every room the same. There aren’t enough admins, security, or officials to truly uphold anything more than we already try.” Stating how this battle for phones to be put away during class is a yearly one.
Overall, many hope that the distraction-free classroom policy will benefit students’ mental health, safety, as well as learning. Also, that it will help teachers to instruct more effectively and easily, as well as promote their security and relationships with students.
Other changes include required CPR training and mandatory reporting of incidents/credible threats to the Dept. of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). New provisions were also made under the Missouri CROWN Act, which prohibits discrimination based on protective hairstyles or texture, associated with race/origin, in schools. These provisions included higher education students, so they are protected.
Stephanie Kim is the editor of the Daily Journal and Farmington Press. She can be reached at skim@dailyjournalonline.com.
