With easily accessible social media platforms on phones, frequent distractions during class time, cheating due to access to the internet, and the decline of student focus and engagement, the benefit of cell phone use has declined immensely. Thus leading to the decision that by July of 2026, all schools in California will need to have a phone ban in place. LAUSD was one of the first and largest, school districts in the United States to implement a phone free policy during the school day. Last summer, the LAUSD Board of Education voted, with the final decision being 5-2 votes, the majority deciding that a phone ban would take place during the second semester of the 2024-2025 school year.
At Eagle Rock, the phone ban started on March 3rd, with hopes that this new phone policy would limit distractions for students during the school day in order to create a more educational and productive environment.
How it will be implemented
Beginning at 8:30 and ending at 3:30, students are expected to keep their phones in Yondr pouches in order to create a distraction-free environment for themselves. Students will “pouch” their phones during the first period of the day, and they should remain in their backpacks throughout the day, including lunch.
What’s banned
Phones aren’t the only thing that this policy covers, and students are expected to keep their smart watches and earbuds in their Yondr pouches as well.
How the Yondr pouches work:
The Yondr pouches use a magnetic locking method where a magnetic pin secures whatever technology is inside of it. To unlock them it needs a special magnet (or “base") to open the pouches. These magnets are located in places like the Eagle Center if you need to unlock your phone, as well as most gates in the mornings and afternoons once the dismissal bell rings.
By using the Yondr pouches, this policy secures smartwatches, earbuds, and phones, with the hope that it will improve both classroom and campus environments through limiting distractions. This change will be a large adjustment for most students, as it was implemented in hopes that it will reduce the amount of time students are on their phones, cheating, and distractions in class. With the new knowledge of what this phone ban has in store for us, let us welcome a new era of change at Eagle Rock.
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