COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (WOWT) — Iowa students returned to class Monday for the second year without access to their phones during the school day under a state law banning phone use.
Joe Vinchattle, principal of Lewis Central High School, said the school has seen fewer failing grades and less missing homework since the law went into effect. He said student engagement is up overall.
“Kids are talking to each other. They’re having conversations. They’re meeting their peers in new ways. And what it’s actually led to is they very rarely have their phones out during those other times. Now, will they pull them out and check them? Yes. Will they respond to that parent to get that, you know, yeah, bring me my track uniform, whatever it might be. They get that taken care of, but then they’re having actual conversations with their peers, far more than they did,” Vinchattle said.
Discipline numbers
Vinchattle said just under 80% of students had no issues whatsoever and never had a phone removed. Only 33 students had a phone removed three or more times, and only three students had a phone removed six or more times…