Cell phone restrictions in Aiken County schools spark mixed emotions

AIKEN, SC (WRDW/WAGT) – Aiken County Public Schools will soon have a new cell phone policy.

It was approved Tuesday evening. during a meeting where the school board also planned

This involves radical changes for thousands of elementary, middle and high school students.

The new policy is a topic Aiken County parents have mixed opinions on, but approval was inevitable.

That’s because the state requires all school districts to restrict the devices.

Billy Formisano’s son attends Aiken Scholars Academy. He says his son always had an A average in school.

“My son had difficulty using his cell phone during school hours. It became such a problem that his grades dropped,” Formisano said.

He says education is the top priority for him and his son.

AT A GLANCE

Mobile phone restrictions: Highlights of the new policy

Middle and high school students with personal devices at school must keep them turned off and placed out of sight.
Personal devices may not be turned on or used at any time during the school day, which also includes lunch and other non-instructional times.
Wearable technology that connects to a cell phone or other devices will not be able to be worn during the school day.

But the phone had become too much of a distraction.

“He was busy hiding his phone like all big teenagers do, under the desk, and he was texting. I check Instagram, I check all his pages, I text his girlfriend during school hours when he was supposed to be learning,” he said.

Formisano claims to have implemented its own mobile phone policy well before the one imposed by the state.

“For the rest of the school year, it was about the middle of the school year. He had to leave his phone at reception when he entered the school. Then he had to pick it up when he got out of school,” Formisano said.

He says that after his son did this, he saw a major improvement in his grades.

“Once we confiscated his cell phone, his grades are now all high,” he said.

The school board says ultimately it’s not up to local officials to decide.

“It’s not something we imagined. This is a policy required by the state of South Carolina,” said John Bradley, vice president of the Aiken County School Board.

But Formisano says it’s a no-brainer for his family.

“Personally, I think I would be a bad parent by allowing him to continue playing on his phone and not listening to the teacher who is trying to teach him for the future,” Formisano said.

Bradley said he understands some parents are concerned about safety, but school administrators will be able to contact parents if necessary.

The new policy goes into effect when students return to class after winter break – which will be a day shorter than originally planned, with Jan. 6 being an online learning day.

To view local policy, visit the Aiken County Public Schools website.