By Aaron Parham ‘26 & Siani Figueroa ‘27
In CVHS in the 2025-2026 school year, phones have been a huge discussion topic. CVHS Teachers and administrators have different opinions on the phone rule.
The CVSD 2025-2026 Student Handbook states: “Technology is an important educational tool that we use to support teaching and learning…The school district supports the use of electronic devices (including “smart” devices (phones,watches, etc.)) for educational purposes while ensuring a safe and orderly environment.”
CVHS Principal Matthew Fox who is talking about the state ban said, “We could communicate home and actually have less panic. Even when we do our secure classroom sometimes, I know some kids probably text families and say, “Oh, the school’s on lockdown” type of thing and it causes panic.”
He continued, “Historically when we had phone issues, it’s not the teacher that on day one says, ‘Hey, you got to put your phone in the holder’; it’s the teacher that on day one doesn’t do that, then day two doesn’t do that, and then day five doesn’t do it and then maybe on day thirty they’ve said, ‘Oh, I don’t want phones in here,’ and then it becomes a rule.”
Zulma Gonzalez Wilson, a teacher in the Science Department at CV, responded, “I think it’s necessary for students to have a structured place to keep their phone so that they’re not distracted during class when they should be doing school [and] when they should be learning.”
Steve Banh, a Health and Physical Education teacher at the high school responded, “You can really see the disconnect in the content that’s being taught…I think it does become a distraction for other kids too.”
Regarding the potential state-wide ban, Banh said, “I think it’s the right move. At the end of the day I think it should be a larger effort across the board.”
Eugene Johnson, high school Social Studies/ History teacher, also sees benefits of a ban. He said, “My concern in those [crisis] situations is, everyone’s trying to reach their son or daughter, [some]one’s phone is not silenced, and then someone who’s trying to hurt kids will be able to find kids that are hiding because of that.”
Johnson added, “I’m a member of the Teachers Union Legislative Committee, which is a meeting of about 20 teachers from around the state, and we give input on the laws that are affecting schools, so that our lobbyists, our people that go to the governor and to the state legislature, can advocate for what teachers want.”
Sources:
CVSD Handbook-https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1750158869/conestogavalleyorg/a1nndnxlpinjkgza1wo3/StudentHandbook2025-26_FINAL.pdf