BY DIEGO COLLAZO & JAMES T. NORMAN CONTRIBUTIONS BY HALEY VELASCO
What’s next
What they’re saying
Barry said HB 1481 was the state’s first step to address distractions and learning loss related to cellphones and other devices. He said he believes cellphones are not only hurting students’ learning but also their ability to communicate in person. “You hear it time and time again—students on their phones,” Barry said. “You can’t learn to communicate ... in a text or tweet.” Paulette Leal, a PISD parent and former substi- tute teacher, said she thinks restricting cellphone usage could lead to more behavioral issues, such as students talking and distracting others. Tricia Cave, a public education advocate and lobbyist for ATPE, said the organization’s mem- bers are supportive but concerned as to how the policies will be enforced. As a result, Cave said she and others with the organization are advising their members to be involved in the policies their respective districts are crafting at the local level. While Cave said she understands the concerns
Cave and Barry said, as it stands, there are no concrete plans for any other follow-up bills from the state to add onto HB 1481. “I think we’ll take a couple of years and see what the impact of this bill is,” Cave said. Cave and Barry said they believe the policy and others like it could work in the classroom as long as teachers are backed by their respective district administrations. Administrators taking those policies seriously and enforcing them are key, they said. “We know and understand that for the success of a policy like this, it is a partnership,” said Kim Cole, executive director of secondary teaching and learning at FISD. “It’s a partnership between the district and the students and the parents.”
“If the phone is causing the student to not get the work done, then the problem is not the phone. It is with the discipline within that student.” PAULETTE LEAL, PEARLAND ISD PARENT
“I think this policy is going to be great as long as districts are consistent with it and there’s long-term enforcement.” TRICIA CAVE, LOBBYIST, ASSOCIATION OF TEXAS PROFESSIONAL EDUCATORS
parents have, she believes many of those concerns will be assuaged as policies go into effect.
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