Better get used to it, administrators. Cell phones are here to stay.
Richfield High School once had a total ban on cell phones.
But Principal Jill Johnson said she started hearing confessions from teachers that they were just as guilty of sneaking a call during the day as their students.
Now, Richfield schools allow cell phones, just not during class. Johnson said that gives students a chance to show responsibility.
Students and staff at several schools say blanket bans are unenforceable. And it’s that sentiment that has many Minnesota schools tweaking their policies.
“What seems like the easy thing to do is to just say ‘no’ to it. ‘Put it away, I don’t ever want to see those cell phones in school,’ ” Johnson said while looking at her own two cell phones at her desk. “But the reality is they’re such a fundamental … that not having them is so awkward it doesn’t make sense.”