School system starts locking up students' phones; students and parents react 

RAMSEY, N.J. (PIX11) -- Wednesday marked what the school district here called the first "full day of full implementation" of a cellphone ban during school days.

The school district says that it's the result of research and analysis that it's done that shows that less cellphone use at school promotes a stronger learning environment. However, students who are now required to keep their phones locked in pouches for most of the day had mixed reviews of the change, but public safety officials and parents seem largely supportive. 

The cellphone restriction applies to schools district-wide, but it's been at the high school in Ramsey where issues ranging from disengagement in class to cyberbullying helped the school district decide to most firmly impose the ban. 

So now, in addition to backpacks, books, pens and paper, each of the more than 700 students at the high school is required to carry a Yondr pouch. It's a dark gray cloth pouch with a lock on it that gets set remotely by school administrators. They keep each pouch locked all throughout each school day, except for lunchtime. 

Andrew Matteo, the school's superintendent, said that the school had Monday and Tuesday to issue the pouches and start carrying out their use, with generally positive learning results. 

"For six hours a day," he said about students, "they're engaged in their learning, and they're interacting with their peers." 

The district policy also requires that smartwatches and airbuds and earphones be placed in the pouches during the day. 

Some students who spoke with PIX11 News gave the new program a passing grade, but stopped well short of giving it the highest marks just yet. 

"It really doesn't bother me," said Anderson Castillo, a Ramsey High School junior. "Like, I'm not the type of person on his phone all the time," he said. "I have stuff to do." 

Patrick Voight, a senior, was not complimentary. "I think it's kind of stupid," he said, "especially for seniors. We've had our phones all through high school. I get it for the freshmen because they're like always on their phones and tweaking out about not getting their phones. I don't really mind it," he added. 

Jennifer Natoli is the parent of a Ramsey High School senior. She said that the restriction promotes teens interacting with one another in person, which she called beneficial. 

"They're on their phones all the time, and they've grown up this way," she said.  "They don't know a non-virtual world. It's a little bit better than, I don't know, being online all day long." 

The new program comes with a price tag that's not small. The equipment costs $26,850, and the training that goes into learning how to properly use and administer it costs $2,250, according to the school district and Yondr, the device manufacturer, for a grand total of $29,100. 

That's an initial cost, with subsequent years costing $3,000 - $5,000 for replacement equipment and maintenance. 

The cost is worth it, not only according to the school district, but Ramsey Chief of Police Brian Lyman also endorses it. He said in a letter to the community that the pouch lock system ensures that students are paying attention to directions if, heaven forbid, there's an emergency at the school. 

Also, according to the superintendent, part of the training and equipment costs involves proper cellphone use in an emergency.  

"We have mobile unlocking devices," Superintendent Matteo said in an interview. "So within minutes, we can give the kids access to their phones."

"In the couple minutes right after an emergency may happen," he continued, "we don't want them on their phones." He said that it's much more important that students are paying close attention to teachers, administrators, and first responders immediately after an emergency happens. 

Matteo said that he's already gotten calls from other school districts nearby, expressing interest in adopting the same system for their schools.  While Ramsey has the first restrictions of its type in New Jersey, 15 other districts in New York and Connecticut use similar systems already.