Editor’s note: This opinion column has been updated to reflect corrected information submitted by the author, who is a parent of a Staples High School senior and a seventh-grade student at Bedford Middle School.
By Ashley Zwick
As the school year winds down and thoughts turn to summer, it’s tempting to check out of the conversation about what’s going on in our schools. As the parent of a Staples senior, I know that urge all too well. My oldest son is off to college, and I’m ready for a book and a beach chair and the late afternoon sun at Compo. But I urge my fellow parents to stick it out with me through May, and to work together to ensure that Supt. of Schools Thomas Scarice’s bell-to-bell ban at Staples is ratified for the 2025-26 school year.
It has been nearly a year since Supt, Scarice released his recommendation, and in that time, hundreds of districts, dozens of states, and even many countries have banned smartphone use during school hours in what can only be described as a global movement to prioritize student learning, social connection, and mental health.
Last week, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced that New York will join a dozen other states (led by both Republican and Democratic governors, it’s worth noting) in banning smartphones in K-12 classes across the state.
“We protected our kids before from cigarettes, alcohol and drunk driving, and now we’re protecting them from addictive technology designed to hijack their attention,” Hochul said in remarks during her budget announcement on April 28.
Additionally, leaders have cited the soaring rates of anxiety, depression and social isolation among teenagers (linked to increased social media addiction) as another reason for removing smartphones from schools. We have the benefit in Westport of seeing early research from schools that have gone smartphone free, and all indications are that the bell-to-bell policies are working. In schools that enact such a policy, educational outcomes and student mental health are improving, and bullying is down.
Many of us chose to live in Westport because of the high quality schools, and top notch educators and administrators. And in the dozens of conversations I’ve had with other Staples parents, it’s clear that a phone free school environment is essential to protecting our very special learning environment and exceptional reputation. Nearly 500 parents have signed a petition supporting the superintendent’s recommendation, and OK to Delay Westport has received overwhelming support from elementary and middle school parents who will be Staples parents in the (too!) near future.
We don’t yet have all the details about how this new policy will be operationalized and how much it might cost, and surely there will be hiccups and course corrections along the way. We may need to root around in our junk drawers for actual calculators, and make sure our students have their schedules in analog form, but I believe a little inconvenience is a worthy price for a healthier student and teacher community. As we have in the past, I’d urge us to trust our leadership team to use their decades of expertise to come up with the right practices and procedures for the Staples environment. After navigating the once-in-a-lifetime challenges of COVID with exceptional care, they have more than earned my trust.
It has been confusing and disheartening to many SHS parents that the Staples PTA co-presidents and some other members of the PTA executive board have been actively using their platform to oppose a phone-free environment at Staples, without surveying the larger parent/teacher community or achieving meaningful consensus. For many weeks now, they have used the SHS all-parent mailing list to encourage parents to send their feedback to the Board of Education, while only mentioning the potential cost (which has not been confirmed by the administration) and none of the benefits. Not until I emailed to ask the co-presidents to simply include a link to Supt. Scarice’s recommendation in their next newsletter so that parents could be informed did they do so. To many of us, it did not feel “neutral” to only include speculation on the cost and no other information about what our district leaders proposed.
I urge my fellow parents and neighbors to inform themselves about this important issue, join the community conversation on May 6 at 7:30 p.m. in the Coleytown Middle School auditorium and show up to support our superintendent, our teachers, and most importantly, our kids.
And in June, the beach awaits.
In response to Ashley Zwick’s op ed, we would like to take the opportunity to clarify and respond to a few points.
First, it bears repeating that the Staples PTA Executive Board unequivocally supports a cell phone ban on personal use during instructional time in classrooms. What we want most is to avoid a ban with no plan.
Second, to answer Ashley Zwick’s question about why the PTA didn’t survey parents directly–the PTA is unable to “survey” the parent (and/or teacher) population. That is a violation of usage of the district communications tool. We are not permitted as PTA representatives to create surveys, petitions, or the other formats she or others are able to utilize as private citizens.
Third, Ashley Zwick’s claim that the PTA ignored her is completely false. She wrote to us on 4/23. We replied on 4/24. She responded on 4/24 asking us to link the Superintendent’s letter on his proposed cell phone ban. We did–in the very next PTA newsletter, on 4/30. Her saying otherwise, for all of Westport to read, is malicious.
One major responsibility of any PTA is communication: events, opportunities, and yes, news. It is a PTA’s job and obligation to share information concerning major policy and curriculum changes with its parents. A proposed cell phone ban–especially inside a school that relies on personal devices for curriculum with no alternatives or solutions–exactly meets this criteria.
We have shared in the SHS PTA newsletter for months, a few neutral lines on what’s happening and how to get in touch with the BOE–language that was approved by the Westport PTA Council Presidents. That is all. In fact, for the same reason we can’t use the district communications tool for a poll, we were also prevented from sharing our Exec Board’s letter to the BOE that the Journal published on 4/4.
Fourth, the SHS PTA Executive Board has never estimated what Yondr Bags would cost at Staples. We have, however, relayed what they cost at Wilton High School. That is public record and also the responsible thing to do, given that in virtually every conversation we’ve ever had with the Administration about its proposed ban, Yondr Bags have been part of the discussion.
At the end of the day, we all want what is best for our students but we just might have different ideas of how to get there–hence why we advocated for the creation of a committee. The SHS PTA Executive Board believes that Staples students deserve a thorough and thoughtful analysis of the implications of a cell phone ban at Staples–using Staples-specific data points. It is why we reiterated our request at the BOE meeting last week. We feel strongly that a committee of administrators, teachers, parents and students be formed in order to devote the proper time and focus that this important decision warrants.
As a final note, we continue to be open and willing to dialogue with anyone who would like to chat with us. We also continue to encourage every stakeholder to get informed on this issue and use their voice however they see fit. We have never tried to silence any voices on any side of this debate; our newsletters instead aim to encourage everyone to participate. We hope everyone can keep this important debate civil and above all else–truthful.
Sincerely,
Jodi Harris & Stefanie Shackelford
SHS PTA Co-Presidents
shs_pta@westportps.org
I don’t think the PTA board should be taking a position against the initiative to ban phones from bell to bell. This seems to go against the purpose of the PTA as found in the SHS PTA bylaws found here (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1x-Nr2wqmh_WlG2DOx47zbOuyx3T8p3EE94U_58dTcSc), and pasted below.
I really don’t think the PTA platform should be used to provide personal views of the board members, especially in a matter that does not have a unanimous convergence by the parents, teachers, or students. The PTA should be taking a neutral role in this case and focus its effort in improving the discussion. For example, I really appreciated the email from the superintendent that includes a link to a video of the Wilton BOE meeting on 5/1 discussing the impact of the phone ban at Wilton High, or the student inklings coverage of their visit to Wilton High.
Article II—Purposes
Section 1 The purposes of the PTA/PTSA are:
– To promote the welfare of children and youth in home, school, community, and place of worship,
– To raise the standards of home life,
– To secure adequate laws for the care and protection of children and youth,
– To bring into closer relation the home and the school, that parents and teachers may cooperate intelligently in the education of children and youth,
– To develop between educators and the general public such united efforts as will secure for all children and youth the highest advantages in physical, mental, social, and spiritual education.
Jodi: I’ve asked for a correction to the article. I went back to your last all-parent email and I know see that the word “ban” included a hyperlink. It was easy to miss, and that’s my mistake. I can assure you, it wasn’t “malicious”. I know opinions are strong, but I hope we can put an end to any name calling and assigning ill and personal intent where there wasn’t any.