Hill City sees positive impact of cell phone policy

Three of South Dakota’s candidates for the next governor are in support of a statewide policy or law banning cell phones from school classrooms. Currently, about one-third of South Dakota school districts have adopted stricter phone policies that involve removing student phones during at least part of the school day, with some banning them for the entire day. Last year, Hill City School District followed suit, adopting a policy banning phone usage during school hours with the exception of  lunch period. 

“We banned cell phones during the academic day, which means they can have their phones before eight o’clock, after three o’clock and that 24 minute window of lunch,” said Hill City High School principal Todd Satter. 

Satter said since the time that digital smart phones replaced analog phones, “student mental health has plummeted.” 

“And that’s not my opinion, that’s the surgeon general,” he said.

“We’re producing kids who don’t have the ability to communicate or speak,” Satter said. “They don’t have those social skills.”

Since the ban, the Hill City teachers and staff have seen a positive impact on the academic achievement of students, their social interactions and the overall atmosphere of the school.

“I’ve noticed the difference in students at tables during the lunch hour, actually having conversations. Some tables you don’t even see phones,” said Satter. 

“I feel that the cell phone policy has had a positive effect on both classroom participation and student achievement,” said industrial technology instructor Travis Santistevan. “By not allowing cell phone usage during class time, students are less distracted and more engaged. This has encouraged greater participation and improved overall achievement and success.”

Before the district instilled the policy, many teachers enforced their own internal classroom policy. The current policy enforces the same rules “across the board,” said Satter. “It’s a good thing.”

Jared Noyes, a history teacher, noticed the impact in his classroom and throughout the school as a whole. 

“I think the evidence and research is pretty hard to avoid at this point that cell phones do more harm than good for students at the age I teach. And to see how much more personable, engaged, focused, and academically driven students have become just by not having constant music playing in their ears, buzzing going off in their pockets and this spurious obligation to constantly be replying to Snapchats, texts and the like, has been incredibly beneficial and rewarding to see in my classroom and throughout the school,” said Noyes.

The cell phone ban has had an impact far beyond the classroom, decreasing screen time and increasing student social interactions.

“The overall impact on the atmosphere of the school is actually the most important impact of a no cell phone policy,” said English teacher, Jennifer Mueller. “The first thing students used to do at the end of class and between classes is check their phones. As students changed classes, they would be staring at their devices in the halls and the classrooms. Now they are talking to each other. This alone impacts participation and achievement. We see each other when we are not staring at our phones.” 

The benefits of the cell phone ban have been felt throughout the school. 

“It’s made us a better school, a more focused on academics school,” said Satter.