CINCINNATI, Ohio-Cincinnati Public Schools is implementing a new cell phone policy for students in grades 7-12, requiring phones to be stored in locked pouches during school hours. The policy, starting the week after Labor Day, aims to minimize distractions and was inspired by positive feedback from a pilot program at Hughes STEM High School. Each student will receive a Yondr pouch, which locks phones using a magnetic system and can only be unlocked at designated stations. The district invested around $500,000 in the pouches using Title IV funds. This policy aligns with recent legislation requiring schools to limit cell phone use. Some parents, like Temeka Robertson, support the policy as a way to reduce distractions, citing concerns over excessive phone use among students.
