The new policy in Middletown, called “Away for the Day,” says students will be barred from bringing their phones to school if they “in any way to embarrass, demean, bully, harass, intimidate, or otherwise violate the privacy or safety of another person” while going online in or outside of school.
Students caught using any devices to bully or harass someone will lose their cell phone privileges for a period of no less than five days, according to the new rules.
Middletown Schools Superintendent Jessica Alfone said the policy is about “resetting expectations” and not a response to an ongoing lawsuit from the family of a 14-year-old Middletown High School North sophomore who died by suicide in 2022 after she was allegedly bullied by classmates.
“This is a separate discussion. We are always looking to reduce situations of bullying. This was really more about instructional time and ensuring that students have time to socialize face to face,” said Alfone, who became superintendent of the K-12 district on Jan. 1.
The personal electronics device policy was adopted by the school board in July. It requires elementary school and middle school students to keep their cell phones and other devices off and in storage, such as a backpack, during the school day.
Students seeking to communicate with a parent or guardian during the school day may do so at a school office, with permission and under the supervision of teachers or other staffers.
High school students are being given more leeway, with the policy specifying only that cell phones and other devices must be turned off during “instructional and educational time” and never used in locker rooms or restrooms.
“My belief is that this policy is very middle of the road. We want to make certain students have limited distractions during instructional time but we have to recognize that technology, inclusive of cell phones, is part of the world we live in,” Alfone said.
The policy does not say how the cell phone policy will be enforced, but the rules say the district “does not expect or require staff or administration to affirmatively police students’ device usage.”
“However, any student found to be using social media on a cell phone or mobile device during the school day to comment about or share photos or videos of any other person, or in any other manner deemed to be detrimental to the district’s educational, developmental, social, or emotional objectives, will be disciplined,“ it states.
The new policy in Middletown is rolling out amid a national debate in educationon whether cell phones and other wireless communication devices are detracting from academic performance and worsening bullying and other problems.
In Camden County, the K-12 Cherry Hill Public Schools district recently banned the use of wireless communications devices during instructional periods. In addition to cell phones, students will not be allowed to use smart watches, ear buds and wireless headphones.
Montclair Public Schools in Essex County recently approved, and then put on hold, a pilot program that would have had students at four schools in the K-12 district locking up their cell phones.
Middletown, which enrolls more than 9,000 students at 16 schools, including two high schools, has had a good start to the year with the new cell phone policy in place, the superintendent said earlier this month.
“Overall, I think it was very positive. Our teachers felt there was support behind what they were putting forth as expectations in their classroom,” Alfone said.
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