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To ban or not to ban? Principals weigh in on school cell phone policies

The United Nations warned last year that cell phones are a distraction in the classroom. (Brittany Hosea-Small/AFP via Getty Images)
The United Nations warned last year that cell phones are a distraction in the classroom. (Brittany Hosea-Small/AFP via Getty Images)

Cell phones are a distraction and studies suggest they hurt learning. But telling kids — and parents — that phones aren’t allowed on campus isn’t as easy as it sounds.

We hear from high school principals John Fontaine of Cranston High School West in Cranston, Rhode Island, and Yvonne Shiu of San Mateo High School in San Mateo, California, on their different approaches to cellphone policies in their schools.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

Copyright 2024 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.