A new report from Columbia Public Schools shows the number of reports of computer and technology misuse has gone up dramatically at the district’s high schools.
Last school year, the district registered 543 such incidents. Through less than half a school year in 2024, that number has nearly tripled, to almost 1,500. CPS Chief Equity Officer Carla London said the increase could be due to a new cell phone policy implemented earlier this school year, which says high schoolers can't be seen with phones during class and middle schoolers can't use them at any time during the school day.
“I think the fact that they we are monitoring and marking how often we're having to intervene with technology because it is now an expectation, or it's a rule now, I think we'll see that natural spike," London said, adding she thinks a corresponding decline will follow. "As it becomes the norm, and it's like, okay, this really is an expectation, or I've had my phone taken from me, or my parents just had to come get my phone.”
London said the majority of complaints are related to cell phones being used at times they are banned by CPS's new policies, which were implemented at the start of this school year. However, she added that computers can also be a source of discipline referrals, for everything from causing class distractions to improperly accessing sensitive information. Sanctions can range from a conversation between school administrators and the student to a phone being confiscated during the school day to a call to a parent asking them to come retrieve the device.
London said cell phone use has led to many distracted students.
“Because when you only have to communicate, or when you choose to communicate via text or social media, and really don't have to face individuals or know how to converse with them, that's led to a lot of the issues,” she said.
Before the new phone policy, it was up to teachers to decide if they were going to allow cell phone use in their classrooms. London says this created a confusing environment for students that weren’t sure when they could have their phones out or not.
The rate of middle school disciplinary problems for phone use has fallen, year-over-year. The numbers were part of a presentation prepared for the CPS School Board's monthly meeting Monday night.