As cellphone bans debated, Tennessee schools share the pros and cons of restrictions

As students huddled outside KIPP Nashville Collegiate High School early Wednesday morning, most were getting a few last scrolls in on their phones before tucking them away in sealed pouches for the day.

When the public charter school first rolled out a rule last January requiring phones be locked away in the sleeves, known as Yondr pouches, the move was met with resistance and a slew of questions from students. For some it was about losing access to texting and social media throughout the day, while others worried about how they’d reach their parents or call for help in an emergency like a school shooting. Some didn’t understand why they needed the rule at all.

But a year into the new routine, 17-year-old junior Peyton Marks said he’s adjusted well and sees how it’s changed things for the better at KIPP.

“It’s actually not as bad as you would think,” Marks said. “I feel like I can focus more.”

The East Nashville high school is among a growing number of campuses in Tennessee and nationwide adopting similar rules on cellphones. That trend has also captured the attention of state lawmakers, who are considering a bill that would require districts to ban cellphone use during instructional time.

The measure has swiftly passed committees in both the Tennessee House and Senate with little opposition and is expected to go to a vote in both chambers this week.

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