This morning’s “06880” Opinion piece from the Staples High School PTA executive board — opposing superintendent of school Thomas Scarice’s proposed full ban on cellphones in Westport Public Schools — drew plenty of public comments, on all sides of the issue.
It also drew a private email, from a longtime Staples teacher. The teacher used their name but requested anonymity, due to district regulations about posting on social media. The teacher writes:
There is most certainly a problem at Staples with cell phones. That parents are relying on students saying that there is not a problem is laughable.
I urge any parent to have an honest conversation with a Staples teacher. You would hear the exact opposite.
Students are completely addicted to their phones. As a teacher who strictly enforces the putting of phones in the holder for all classes (grades 9-12), I can say without a doubt that every single day I encounter resistance from students, even though my stance and policy on phones has not changed since the first day of school, or within the last 5 years.
Every week I confiscate phones, bring them down to the assistant principals’ office, email/call home, and follow up with the admin after class.
Cell phone holder.
The reason many teachers do not enforce the phone holders is that it is exhausting. No matter how consistent teachers are with their phone policies, the students are extremely resistant (and unfortunately somewhat rude) to giving them up, even during a class.
Having taught at Staples for over 20 years, I can say that phones have no positive impact on the school day.
I understand that students and parents feel that students will have difficulty navigating their schedules. Students are unaware of their schedules precisely due to the Saturn app. Before Saturn, my students always knew their schedules. They either had them printed out or they had them memorized over time. There was never an issue with students not knowing where they were going.
If students could use phones responsibly we would not be here. But every day students are sneaking phones, leaving class under the guise of having to use the bathroom and then scrolling through social media. I see it every single day here at Staples.
Phones are specifically designed to be addictive. Our students are being asked to monitor their use against a device that is using their own brains to work against what is best for them.
Every notification excites — and distracts — students.
I implore all parents to support the superintendent’s proposed ban on phones at Staples. Your children are not benefiting at all by having access to their phones throughout the school day.
We are doing a disservice to them. I deeply hope the community will come together to realize what is best for these students.
BAN THEM‼️🇺🇸
I’m so grateful for this perspective!
My five kids went through staples before I phones
How did we do it. ? Easily.
It shouldn’t even be a discussion. Call me after school, but not when I’m doing my homework
Ban them!
The nuns at my school would have rapped us on the knuckles !
I sympathize deeply with any teacher who must pry students away from their phones to keep them focused. It’s absurd to claim that students have trouble remembering their schedules without them. Generations of Staples High School students have memorized their schedules without electronic devices. We managed just fine. (Graduate of Staples Class of 1970)
Ban them. We remembered our schedule in a couple weeks. I think they’re distracting. They certainly distract drivers!!
My daughters are in their early 30’s. Cell phones were banned in their HS. They had to keep them in their lockers all day. If they were caught with it, it was taken away and a parent had to retrieve it. The system worked. I am not sure how this cell phone usage during the school day got so out of control over the years.
Thanks for the honesty! If we relied upon parents to accurately report on the behavior of their children, we’d have to believe that there’s a 0% rate of substance abuse, bullying, and tobacco/vape use at Staples too. Not-my-child delusions lead to bad policy.
I strongly support the superintendent’s findings on this. We thank the teacher who wrote in. These are the facts! Any
other claims are like Trump… all lies
Obvious TDS. Seek help💊
See Tom.
See Tom read the words “Trump lies”
See Tom get mad.
See Tom say “TDS”
Poor sad Tom.
Tom is sad and mad.
See Tom say “TDS”.
Tom is mad. “TDS” said Tom.
Poor sad Tom
Russell, That is hilarious. Remember the Russian- Ukrainian war would be over in ONE DAY. Gas prices would be under $2,00 dollars and grocery prices down 40%. And yesterday Trump said 70 leaders in the world are begging to kiss his “butt.” ( He used another word.) All our friends are totally mad at us and we’ve lost their trust! Tom has a deep admiration for Trump and thinks he’s a genius saving our country! Yesterday Trump’s knees buckled under the pressure! He caved and humiliated himself! The whole world saw him crumble under pressure!
It really amazes me that you rich white entitled Westport liberals hate anyone that doesn’t agree with your political views. Talk about sick people.
Dude. Don’t serve up yesterday’s gruel. Get a thesaurus. Vary the wording. Freshen the message. Get out of the rut. Rethink, rebrand, rework. Tweak it. Twist it. Be the change.
This is all I need to read as a parent. Thank you to this hard working educator who has served our community for over 20 years!
I spoke to a teacher at Wilton a few weeks ago who was extremely positive about the ban. Honestly I kind of wish someone would yank my phone out of my hands for a few hours a day…
Thank you for speaking out. The phones are addictive. No need for them at school. A lot of positives will come out of the old-fashioned method of communication— speaking to each other.
I’m with the teacher…
This is what we need to hear and listen to. Thank you teacher!
We appreciate the teacher sharing their perspective on this important issue. As always, we remain open to honest and transparent discussions and invite them to connect with us to discuss our viewpoints.
I don’t have a high schooler (yet) but as a teacher myself, I completely agree and hope this ban will be in place when my kids are high school age.
Two hours on the cell phone during a school day? Really? You need to feel secure by talking with Mommy during the day? Hate to make light but banning the damn cell phones might just strengthen and improve the parental relationship which is falling off the cliff in over protecting.
Ban them, the answer has been so simple since day 1
…Scarice as CEO the buck stops with you… you can listen to all the ‘advisors’ but you know what is the correct answer… make the decision ……its Common Sense….not everyone will agree… but such is life.
Parents… as the kids walk out the door take responsibility and ask…your mobile phone is on the kitchen table…correct?…should a solution not be acceptable for a bag/storage in school.
With the amount of school shootings that happen in this country – how can any parent be in favor of banning cell phones…. when there is a possibility that their child wouldn’t be able to call for help – or to say goodbye. Maybe the schools, and government, should be focusing on eliminating that threat before taking away a possible lifeline from a student.
I don’t think phones will be banned from teachers, administrators, or other staffers, who could call 911 in case of an emergency.
(Though I 100% agree on eliminating the threats.)
Exactly, you have to look at the bigger picture.
Why do so many of the great stories Dan works everyday on to share with us get hijacked by politcal comments where politics have nothing to do with the subject.. It gets old.. Dan thanks for all your hard work