Editor’s note: following is an opinion submitted by Westport resident Abby Tolan. Tolan currently serves as a member of the Board of Education and is on the Nov. 4 ballot.
As a board member, and as a parent myself, I know how deeply we all care about our children’s success and safety. That’s why, after careful deliberation, we accepted our administration and faculty recommendation to go bell-to-bell phone free at Staples High School (as our K-8 schools have been for years). This was not a rushed or one-sided decision. We listened to faculty, families, and students on every side of the issue, and even convened an implementation committee of representative stakeholders to review and adapt the administration’s plan.
When we hear from the implementation committee at tonight’s BOE meeting, I expect a plan that is fair, thoughtful, and centered on what’s best for kids. There should be no budgetary outlay, as students will be asked to sequester their phones in Staples lockers, and no loss of instructional time. Students who require their phones for health reasons, tracking insulin for example, will of course be able to have them.
We’ve tried phone-free classrooms at the high school, but the ever-mounting evidence is clear: when phones are out of use for the entire day, including lunch and free periods, students focus better, learn more, and feel less stressed. Teachers, families, even students tell us that schools without phones are calmer, friendlier, and more connected. Students talk to each other instead of staring at screens. They engage with their lessons and each other.
But this is also about safety. I spoke to my former colleagues – secondary school teachers and principals – to learn from their experiences. One story particularly stuck out: a principal in New York City described a fire evacuation (not a drill!) where she observed that her middle schoolers, with their phones put away, exited efficiently. The high schoolers, phones in hand, lingered, taking pictures and texting, wasting valuable time.
And then there’s the bullying. With my time in the special education community in town, I’ve seen firsthand how relentlessly phones can be used for cruelty – cyberbullying, nasty texts, embarrassing videos that are widely disseminated – especially against our most vulnerable kids. A video or picture captured in the cafeteria or locker room can last forever. Administrators confirm that phones are involved in a lion’s share of disciplinary situations.
At our Community Conversation, we heard a refrain from parents: we never made an affirmative decision to allow phones in schools. Now, we need to be more intentional. We’ve addressed concerns. Some, like a waiver for seniors, were deemed counterproductive; others, such as the cost-free implementation, were adopted.
Often, as a board member, I’ve had to make tough decisions which don’t please everyone. My north star is what I believe is best for our kids. This roll-out isn’t about taking something away. It’s about giving our students back their focus, their safety, and even a little peace of mind. We all want the same thing: schools where every one of our children can thrive. And sometimes, the best way is to ask them to carry less.
Abby Tolan
Member, Board of Education
Making Staples a truly phone-free environment is such a huge step forward for Westport – our kids deserve the chance to be present, connect face-to-face, and learn without constant distraction. I’m so grateful for your leadership on this issue, Abby and thrilled to cast my vote for you for another term on the BOE. This is what compassionate, courageous leadership looks like.
Thank you for such an honest and thoughtful article Abby! All the data and evidence points to bell-to-bell phone free schools being the best thing for our children’s total development, educational, mental and social.
High school is when teens build their identity, learn to read social cues, navigate conflict, and form healthy relationships. But if phones are allowed in school, and especially in between classes, those skills wither. Kids start texting from across the same lunch table. They lose the chance to look up, make eye contact, and feel connected. School is for learning, for growing, for human connection. Not for doomscrolling, streak keeping, or social comparison. A phone free school day will teach the next generation focus, patience, in person social/communication skills and how to be without their devices.
Anyone who is running for the BOE and thinks differently is not running for our children nor for their success. We are lucky to have Abby Tolan on the BOE who truly cares about our children and their future.
Thank you, Abby, for bringing such clarity to this important issue. I truly believe that, one day, we’ll look back on this moment as a turning point for our children. We now know the serious impact smartphones have on adolescents — from attention and mental health to social skills, sleep, and more. It’s time to give kids eight phone-free hours each day to focus on learning, connect with friends, and simply enjoy being present. Your voice is helping shine a light on why this matters so much — thank you.
As a college professor and parent with children in the public school system, I am deeply invested in creating an educational environment that prioritizes learning, wellbeing, and preparation for the real world. While I commend Abby Tolan and the Board of Education for approaching the issue of smartphone use with care and deliberation, I respectfully disagree with the recent decision to enforce a bell-to-bell phone ban at Staples High School. Though well-intentioned, this policy risks oversimplifying a complex issue and ultimately may do more harm than good.
Phones, like any technology, are tools—neither inherently harmful nor inherently beneficial. What matters is how they are used. By removing phones entirely from the school day, we are not teaching students discipline, focus, or digital responsibility. We are merely removing the opportunity for them to learn those things. In a world where smartphones are ubiquitous in both academic and professional environments, it is not only impractical but pedagogically shortsighted to pretend we can shield students from distraction through prohibition alone. Instead, we must empower them to build discernment and self-regulation—skills they will need far beyond the classroom.
Moreover, the research on phone bans is not as conclusive as it is often portrayed. While some studies suggest reduced distraction in phone-free environments, others—including findings from UNESCO—warn against overly rigid device restrictions, noting that they can stifle access to educational tools and erode student autonomy. The appearance of calm does not always reflect genuine engagement. True growth occurs when students are guided to manage potential distractions, not when they are simply deprived of them.
It is also important to recognize that connection in the digital age takes many forms. For some students—particularly those who are neurodivergent, introverted, or struggling with anxiety—phones offer a valuable lifeline, a way to feel socially tethered or emotionally regulated. To assume that every digital interaction is frivolous or isolating is to misunderstand the nuanced ways in which young people communicate and cope. Encouraging face-to-face interaction is laudable, but it should not come at the expense of those who find comfort in quieter, digital forms of connection.
Safety concerns, while understandable, are also not entirely addressed by the ban. In an age when school safety is a top concern for parents, many of us find reassurance in knowing our children can reach us immediately in the event of an emergency. The anecdote of a more orderly fire drill is not compelling enough to override the peace of mind that comes from real-time access during a crisis. Students should not have to choose between compliance and connection when it comes to their safety and ours.
Furthermore, citing the prevalence of disciplinary issues tied to phones does not justify a total ban. Cyberbullying and digital misconduct are undeniably serious problems—but banning phones during school hours does not eliminate these behaviors; it simply shifts them elsewhere. Meaningful solutions must focus on education, accountability, and emotional intelligence—not restriction alone.
There is a more balanced path forward. Reasonable limits—such as restricting phone use during instructional time while permitting it during lunch or free periods—combined with a robust curriculum around digital literacy and wellness, would achieve the same goals without infantilizing our students. Consistent enforcement of existing guidelines, rather than sweeping prohibitions, can reduce distractions while respecting students’ growing need for autonomy and trust.
Our children do not need to be shielded from technology; they need to be taught how to live with it wisely. As a parent, I want my children to be prepared not just to succeed in school, but to thrive in the world beyond it. That means learning how to engage with their devices thoughtfully, not being taught that the only way to manage temptation is to remove it entirely. True education demands more than control—it requires courage, nuance, and a commitment to guiding our students through complexity, not around it.