As high schools across Contra Costa County and the state of California have been finding ways to enforce Gov. Gavin Newsom’s no-smartphone policy, teachers and students are ambivalent about the new law that is set to take effect for the 2026-27 school year.
Although many school districts began implementing policies that prohibit student cellphone use in classrooms a year early, some of those affected are already raising questions about it. Should the law be implemented, and if so, how? What are the potential benefits or harmful impacts it may have on the classroom environment?
At El Cerrito High School in the West Contra Costa Unified School District (WCCUSD), many teachers now hang pouches on classroom walls for students to stow their phones during instructional time. In accordance with WCCUSD’s Code of Conduct, students are allowed to access their phones only during passing periods and at lunch…