School district in Colorado Springs shares details on new phone ban

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – Colorado Springs School District 11 just released specifics on their new cell phone policy, beginning in the upcoming school year.

The information was sent out to parents and guardians on Monday, along with an FAQ sheet where the district explained its reasoning behind the new policy.

The policy states that elementary schoolers must keep their cell phones in backpacks during school hours.

Middle and high schoolers will be given a "Yondr" pouch to store their cell phones and smart watches in for the duration of the day. These pouches will be assigned at the beginning of the school year with a name tag and bar code attached. The pouches will be unlocked when students leave for the day.

Phone access can also be granted during the school day for designated areas such as school offices. During the school day, parents and guardians can call the main office to get ahold of their children. Each classroom is also equipped with a phone and "additional emergency commmunication tools."

"We would not be doing this if we felt student safety would be compromised," the school district wrote in the FAQ sheet sent to parents and guardians. "Cell phones can actually create a distraction for students that can compromise their safety, both in emergencies and day-to-day as it relates to bullying and violence."

First offenses of the no-phone policy will result in phone confiscation until the end of the school day. Additional incidents may result in suspension.

The district says the policy will be instated for the "foreseeable future."

More information can be found in the documents provided by the district.