Parents, teachers react to Montgomery County Public Schools updated cell phone policy
On Friday, the school district said it updated its guidelines for mobile devices for the next school year.
The revised policy allows high schoolers to use their phones in between classes and during lunch, but not during class. Middle and elementary school students aren't allowed to use them during the school day at all.
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Parents and teachers who talked with DC News Now said they have mixed feelings about these updated regulations.
Nicole Porcaro has been a substitute teacher for MCPS for more than a decade. She said cell phones are a major distraction.
'Getting the kids to even take their earbuds out, it's texting, it's watching videos, it's on social media,' Porcaro said.
Jeremy Joseph is the father of two MCPS students, and he agrees that phones disrupt learning. That is why he has advocated for years for them to be taken out of the classroom.
'Because that gives kids the opportunity to focus on their studies,' Joseph said. 'The days and the teacher's time isn't taken up with policing the phones.'
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Joseph said the policy update is a step forward when it comes to elementary and middle schools, but not so much for high schools.
'If this is the right policy for elementary and middle school,' he said. 'Why is it not right for high school?'
MCPS parent Lisa Cline shares similar views.
'The high school part of the policy seems to be even a little bit more relaxed than it was,' Cline said. 'Elementary and middle, most of the schools were doing that anyway.'
Some parents, including Tara McKinney, don't agree with the updated regulations at all.
'I definitely want to make sure my kid can contact me at any point in time,' McKinney said. 'I think it's essential at this point in time.'
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McKinney isn't convinced MCPS will be able to enforce the policies, nor is parent Dawn Iannaco-Hahn.
'I would say high school is really going to be the most difficult,' Iannaco-Hahn said. 'My son comes home and tells me that there are teachers who will say, 'Please put your phones away,' and kids will cuss at the teacher.'
MCPS' full Updated Personal Mobile Device Regulation for the 2025-26 school year can be found here.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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