Grant High School student's petition against cell phone restrictions gains traction

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Even as Portland Public Schools is trying to work out a plan for a district-wide policy to limit cell phone use in the classroom, some schools have already taken matters into their own hands by requiring students to lock up their phones.

At Grant High School, they've adopted a cell phone policy requiring students to "secure their phone and smartwatch (on silent) in a personally assigned lockable Yondr Pouch before they arrive on campus."

Noah Brown, a Grant High School junior, has started a petition opposing the little green pouches on Change.org — and it's already gained over 1,000 signatures.

"These aren't infallible. They are unlockable with a magnet from a hardware store, they are unlockable with a magnet from Amazon, and they're unlockable apparently from just by hitting it enough," said Brown in regard to the use of Yondr Pouches in schools. "And the problem arises that if they are so easily unlockable, it just makes them that much harder to enforce."

According to the Grant High School policy, using a phone during school hours could result in a disciplinary referral.

Brown is hoping to highlight what he views as major issues with the Yondr Pouches and the school's policy, in general, before the Portland Public Schools Board as they contemplate a potential district-wide policy to restrict student cell phone use in the classroom.

"There are some pretty obvious issues with the way the cell phone policy is being done specifically at Grant and Cleveland to a lesser extent," he said.

Meanwhile, principals from four PPS schools came together Wednesday night to talk about what's working for them with their own cell phone use policies.

Principal Curtis Wilson Jr. over at Benson High School is already enforcing a phone restriction policy. He talked about what's working for their students.

"Our whole focus is to just get the cell phones not out of the class but not be a part of the class," Wilson said. "You can teach without the cellphones, you can, we just have to adapt to it."

The Benson principal also referenced the Yondr Pouches, saying the school isn't going with that approach.

"We're not going Yondr. A) we can't afford it and B) it's so intense right now with our students that if the district doesn't support me then it's me going against a thousand students," Wilson said.

Beyond Yondr, Brown said he thinks the school district should consider a better plan for students.

"I think and a lot of students think that this should be something the district considers more."

As far as next steps for the district, they'll be working on a few revisions to the district-wide policy as the year goes on.