Cell Phone Policy:
Pershing Middle School will be enforcing the SDUSD Cell Phone Policy. Under District Board Policy H-6980, all middle school students must have their cell phones turned off and in their backpacks during the school day and may only used their phones before and after school hours. Cell phones that are not turned off and in students' backpacks during the school day may be confiscated and the phone would be returned to a parent or guardian.
This decision was not reached lightly. I hear frequently from parents that they enjoy the convenience of communicating with their child by cell phone, especially if there is an emergency. There is also no denying the many benefits and conveniences that cell phones have brought. The research, however, is increasingly showing that for adolescents & schools there are many negative side effects that come with cell phone and social media use during the school day. These negative side affects include: distractabiilty in the classroom, anxiety, negative self-image, feelings of isolation, loss of sleep and cyberbullying just to name a few. We want Pershing to be a place were students "unplug" from their cell phones and social media and focus on reconnecting with their peers and avoid distractions that make learning more challenging.
We hope families will speak with their middle schoolers about the cell phone policy and the reasons behind the shift. Below are some additional articles about the impact of cell phones and social media on adolescents and their learning.
Negative Health Review of Cell Phones and Social Media
Are Smart Phones and Social Media Hurting our Kids?
5 Reasons to Ban Smart Phones in School
Other Electronic Devices: DO NOT bring airpods, personal radios (iPods, MP3 players), cameras, head sets, beepers, or video games, etc., on campus during the academic day. The staff has been instructed to pick up any of these items and to turn them over to a vice principal. Confiscated items will be returned at the discretion of the principal or designee. The second time an item is confiscated, the item will only be returned to a parent and a notation of this will be made in the student's discipline record. Pershing Middle School assumes no responsibility for any confiscated items. Lost or stolen electronic items are the students responsibility. The faculty at Pershing accepts no responsibility or obligation for the return of such items.