Cell Phones Banned in Schools?

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Good morning, Cooner. Contrary. Okay, a lot and I mean
a lot to talk about today. In fact, there are
several stories I'd love to get to, but one of them, again,
this is a culture story that is getting political. It
is a national story. It is getting more and more

(00:21):
attention from parents, lawmakers, concerned people everywhere. And that is
now the growing movement to ban cell phones in public schools.
As things stand right now, as you know, we have
a serious crisis in education. There's no question. Mass scores

(00:44):
are down, Literacy scores are down, English proficiency is down,
and so many teachers, in fact, a majority of teachers,
if you look at the polls, say it's not a
silver bullet, but they say a big reason for this

(01:06):
massive decrease in academic performance, why students are not performing
as well, why they're not learning as much, is because
they are constantly distracted at school in the classroom due
to those devices, those cell phones, and they start them

(01:26):
in elementary school, middle and high school. They are everywhere.
And so teachers now are saying get rid of these
cell phones, ban them, or at least restrict them, and
what you will see is a much better classroom environment.
According to many, many teachers. They say that if you

(01:48):
ban these devices or limit them, say to lunchtime or recess,
in other words, not in the classroom, keep them out
of the class, you will see gray go up, academic
performance go up. That the kids in school will not
be distracted, but instead, instead of staring at that device

(02:10):
all the time, they will focus on their work, on
the teacher, on the lesson, and that not only will
this end distraction and improve the quality of learning, they
also say where they've banned these cell phones that actually
students are much better socialized that in factor, talking to

(02:33):
each other, talking to the teacher, you hear laughter, you
hear communication. And so, according to them, getting rid of
cell phones is a giant step forward if we want
to reverse this education decline and confront this crisis now

(02:53):
that is affecting our entire country. Now, just because many
people are going to ask me these kind of questions,
so let me just set it up right away currently,
and I'm going by Education Week, which is the official
publication that covers not just universities, but obviously high school,

(03:13):
middle school, secondary education, higher education. According to Education Week,
and that's considered the gold standard in terms of education
facts and data, thirty one states and the District of
Columbia currently now have some kind of a ban on

(03:34):
cell phones right now on the books. Some of these
bands are what they call bell to bell cell phone
ban use. In other words, the moment the kids come
into the school or the moment they enter the classroom,
their cell phones are taken away from them. Usually they're

(03:56):
put in some kind of a pouch or some kind
of a basket, and they are not able to access
those phones throughout the entire day, and that includes recess,
that includes in between classes, that includes lunchtime. They only
get it back at the end of the school day
as they are leaving the school. Some states Kentucky, Tennessee,

(04:22):
restrict cell phone use, meaning they're not allowed. They're banned
in the classroom. If you have them, you're going to
get punished, and the punishments can be quite severe, up
to and including detention and even suspension. But you are
allowed to use them during lunchtime and during recess. So
it depends on which state. It even depends in many

(04:45):
cases on which school district. As for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts,
so far now school districts have them. For example, both
of my children, the school district that they're in, the
school bans their use of cell phones. To give you
an example, for both of them, they and one is

(05:06):
in elementary and the other one is in middle school,
although Ashton now will be going to high school this September.
But in the school that the schools that they attend,
the moment they walk in, the cell phone is put
in a pouch. They are not able to access the
phone at all throughout the entire school day. They only
get their phone back when they leave the school. Okay,

(05:29):
when the school day is over, but that's a school
district decision. As far as the state imposing a mandate,
so far, there is no law on the books. However,
the state Senate has now passed a spell to bell
ban on cell phones in schools. Governor Morra Healy supports

(05:53):
a ban on cell phone use bell to bell. It
looks like the State House is going to pick up
that bill. It looks like they have the votes to
pass it, and so maybe not for this year, but
they say definitely for the next academic year. Massachusetts will
be then the thirty second state that will implement a massive,

(06:15):
sweeping ban on cell phones in schools. Now. Just so
that you know politically how this lays out. Many Republicans
favor a cell phone ban. Many Democrats favor a cell
phone ban. It is one of the few issues where
you see a lot of convergence and agreement among Democrats

(06:37):
and Republicans here in Massachusetts. As an example, Mora Healy
supports a bell to bell cell phone ban in schools.
So does Attorney General Andrea Campbell, so to practically every
single Democrats up on Beacon Hill. There are a few
Republicans that are opposing it, but for the most part,

(07:00):
this is largely bipartisan here in Massachusetts and has been
in other states, including red states. Now I can let
me just there's actually a division even now in my
own home, in the in Casa Kuner, in the Kooner
family household, Grace is all my wonderful wife, my better half,

(07:21):
is all for a ban on cell phone use. She
believes it is getting our children addicted to cell phones,
to social media, to this kind of technology that she
says is poisoning the minds of our kids. That they
can't turn this device off. It's bad enough they're always

(07:42):
on it when they're at home. Now they're also constantly
infrequently on it or looking at it when they're in
the classroom. She says it is a huge distraction from learning.
It stunts the children's development or the student's development, and
that it is clearly a key fact in why academic
performance and grades are bad, and why performance in schools

(08:07):
are horrible, and that teachers complain to Grace all the
time that these devices make it almost impossible for them
to effectively do their job. She also Grace also accepts
the argument that this is really stunting basic social development,
that instead of playing with each other, instead of talking

(08:31):
with each other, instead of communicating with each other, instead
of doing things together, they're just staring at that screen.
They're looking at movies, they're looking at videos, they are
playing games on that thing, that all they do is

(08:51):
stare at that screen, and that this is now seriously
damaging the ability of students to even have the most
basic French, the most basic social interactions. So Grace is
all for a bell two bell cell phone, a ban,
a ban on cell phones in schools. Now, these are

(09:13):
public schools. You can't mandate what's going on in private schools.
Most private schools, though, do have a cell phone ban.
Now this is my position. I disagree with Grace, and
I'll tell you why. And of course you may disagree
with me. My own family disagrees with me. I'm against

(09:34):
a ban on cell phone use in schools, not at
the district level. I don't like it at the state level.
I don't like a one size fits all mandate whereby
politicians in state capitals and the governor put a blanket

(09:54):
policy on every single school and every single school district.
I believe decisions like this should be made at the
local level by the schools themselves, according to the needs
of their students. Some students in some areas may need

(10:16):
cell phones to help with instruction, to help with learning.
Others may decide, no, we don't need phones at all.
But let me tell you my biggest concern. They can't
keep our schools safe. How many school shootings have we
had over and over and over again, And how many

(10:39):
times have cell phones buy the students themselves as they're
under lockdown, been instrumental in warning the police and calling
for help or in this case talking to family members.
Six one seven two, six x sixty eight sixty eight
is the number. Okay, boy, everybody wants to weigh in

(11:03):
on this one. Okay, so a lot of you, again,
like much of the country, on this split. People are divided.
People feel strongly on both sides of the issue, which
I perfectly understand and respect. This is from Alan, South
Carolina on Messenger. Good morning, Jeff, Well, good morning to

(11:24):
you Allan, Jeff. Cell phones and even smart watches, for example,
the Apple Watch have been banned bell to bell here
in South Carolina since January twenty twenty four. I think
the performance argument is bs. I think it's more an

(11:45):
argument of the haves and the have nots. Interesting, stop
infringing on parental rights. I'm with you Allan. Look, I
didn't look at that angle. That's an interesting angle. So
Alan's saying that, No, it's not about boosting academic performance
or getting better grades or having them focus more on

(12:08):
work and you know and you know work and learning
in the classroom. It's about some you know, they don't
like the fact that some kids have very nice cell
phones and others either don't have cell phones or much
cheaper cell phones, or someone's got a very expensive Apple
Watch and someone else has got a you know, a

(12:28):
flip floone, you know, a flip phone. One of these
you know, more low you know, low end flip phones
that are quite inexpensive. So that this has to do
more with not wanting to hurt the feelings of students
whose parents either don't want to or can't or don't

(12:48):
have the means to spend on a nice fancy cell
phone or Apple Watch. That's interesting, that's very interesting. Let
me just add one more point, and then I want
to go right to the phone lines. Uh six one
seven two six six sixty eight sixty eight is the number.
And this is not original to me. I don't want
to claim this is an original point, because it's not.

(13:11):
Robbie Struck, I believe, is the person that I read
on social media who made this point. And I agree.
I think a reason why, a major reason why this
sudden push, this momentum, this drive to impose the cell
phone bands in schools in over thirty states now and

(13:35):
the district of Columbia and now they're going to push
it hard here in Massachusetts, is because say what you
want about these phones, and honestly, I'm not a big
fan of my son or my daughter, you know, face
in front of the phone all day. You know, I
don't want my children hooked at these devices. Don't get
me wrong. But one of the things that these cell

(13:57):
phones have done, and there's no question about it, is
that students now, especially in high school, but even middle school,
now film many of their woke teachers who are trying
to indoctrinate them and Marxist ideology and anti Americanism, or

(14:19):
who are going out there preaching some of the craziest
things imaginable, or use their position in the classroom as
a political soapbox to brainwash the kids. So this woke
wrought this DEEI critical race theory that is now being

(14:40):
demolished over the last couple of years. A lot of
it is because these students are like, what they're preaching
communism in the classroom, what they're trying to push transgenderism
in the classroom. Whoa whoa wa, whoa whoa Hey. This
is supposed to be a math class, not a democratic

(15:01):
political rally. And they're filming their teachers or videotaping their
teachers because of their cell phones and then posting it
on social media. And that's what's gotten so many of
these left wing teachers and educators in hot water, and
parents' eyes have been opened. Now for me, it's a

(15:25):
fundamental issue of localism and of parental rights. If I
want my child to have a cell phone primarily for
safety security reasons. Yeah, I'm not saying my child's got
a YAC on the phone. I don't want my child
they acting on the phone, or watching videos, or watching

(15:47):
movies or playing video games during classroom time. Please don't
get me wrong, but you cannot. You're refusing to protect
the schools. Thing that we're gonna have gun free zones
in schools. And I don't need to tell everybody how
many school shootings there have been over and over again.

(16:09):
Now you're telling me we're gonna have a cell phone
free zone in schools. So god forbid, if there's a
mass shooting, say at the school that my daughter goes
to or my son goes to, they can't call the
police to warn them or call their parents to tell us, Daddy,
the school's under attack. I'm sorry, that's wrong. It's wrong,

(16:33):
and so on these grounds. And honestly, look, for example,
the school district voted to ban cell phones for my
daughter and my son. They put them in a pouch.
Now I have a right to appeal this at the
school board. In other words, the decision is made at
the local level with the teachers, educators, school board, and parents.

(16:58):
I don't want a one sits all if there are
some areas and some school districts for whatever reason where
they say no, we need cell phones, for example, to
work as calculators. We need whatever it may be to
help us. That should be up to the school district
and to the teachers and the parents and the educators.

(17:22):
I don't like these one size fits all state mandates.
I prefer to leave schools and education in the hands
of parents, primarily, but also in the hands of local schools,
school boards, teachers, and school districts. So that's why in general,

(17:44):
I don't I'm against a cell phone ban, a blanket
bell to bell cell phone ban for every school, every
school district, all across not just this state, but in
states all over the United States. Now that's me. My
wife disagrees with me. Many of you disagree with me,

(18:05):
which is okay. So I want to ask all of
you Kooner country six one seven two six six sixty
eight sixty eight. I want to take all of your
calls on the other side. Six one seven two six
six sixty eight sixty eight is the number. Okay, this
is from seven eight one. I'm going to go to

(18:25):
the calls, I promise, but just to show you how
divided the audience is on this, it's like, boy, it's
like you guys are all my house for dinner yesterday.
You overheard my conversation with Grace uh seven eight one. Jeff,
I am an eighth grade teacher. You are out of

(18:46):
your mind exclamation point. Cell phones are so distracting. You
have no idea what we teachers have to deal with
on a daily basis. The kids are not focusing on
their lesson and plans. They're not focusing on learning. All
they're focusing on is that sorry, is there are those

(19:06):
damn devices? Banam banam banam? Okay, I hear you six
one seven two six six sixty eight sixty eight. So
let me ask you. Should cell phones be banned in schools?

(19:27):
Elementary school, middle school, high school? At a minimum? Do
you believe they should be restricted, say only to lunchtime
or recess. But right now you've got thirty one states,
the District of Columbia now enacting cell phone bands, and
apparently now Massachusetts and others they're on the way, is

(19:49):
this a good idea, a bad idea? How do you
feel about it? And the ultimate question, are cell phones
responsible for the collapse of our education system and academic performance?
Many teachers say it is a big factor. Other parental

(20:11):
rights groups say that's not true. Test scores were bad
before cell phones were common or prevalent in schools. This
has nothing to do with cell phones. And if I
want my child to have a cell phone for an
emergency reason, for whatever it may be a family emergency
or god forbid, a school shooting or a public safety emergency,

(20:32):
then my child should be able to have that cell phone. Agree, disagree?
Should cell phones be banned in schools? Heather in Rockland,
you're going to kick us off. Heather, thanks for holding
and welcome.

Speaker 2 (20:48):
Hi Jeffrey, Thank you so much for taking my class.

Speaker 1 (20:50):
My pleasure here.

Speaker 2 (20:51):
Now, I gotta tell you this is why I love
this show so much, because it really makes you think.
I when I initially call called, when I've been on hold,
I immediately it's like, oh yeah, absolutely, I totally like
now my mind has changed, like literally just from hearing
you like certain things you said, Like I immediately is

(21:12):
like absolutely they should be banned. Now hearing your your opinions,
and then was it your opinion or the text about
I didn't even think of this, but now I'm convinced
about the cell phones in the kids being able to
take pictures of the woke teachers, and I was like,

(21:35):
oh my god, I didn't even think of that. That's brilliant.
And the other thing I was thought thinking of is
maybe this is another reason why they want it banned,
is because you know, like the cell phones, Let's face it,
they have trackers, do you know what I mean? And
like you you know that you can, and they don't
want they don't want the kids, like you said, filming

(22:02):
what the teachers are doing or teaching their kids that
they shouldn't be teaching them certain things. And let me
just say this too, because my initial was my initial
got reaction was absolutely not. And I don't have children,
but I have three nephews and my two youngest nephews
seventeen and then eight. Like the seventeen year old, like

(22:26):
I think, like should you know if he has a
cell phone, you know, they should be in high school.
They should like you know, have a place where they
put the cell phones. Durman then you know, before they
go to classes and then pick them up at the
end of the day because you know, like he goes
to work or whatever, you know, after school or you know,
sports and stuff like that, you may not go home.

(22:47):
So you know, like the kids need to be in
touch with their parents after school. So I get that,
not like having them not take the phone with them
to school, but there should be some place that they
should put the phone. However, the eight year old does
not need a cell phone. He's going to be in
third grade. I mean, really, what eight year old needs
a cell phone in school? However, you are a point

(23:09):
that you said about like being you know, the safety
and everything. I didn't even think of it in that
sense too, So it's you know, you made me think,
I guess is what you say.

Speaker 1 (23:23):
No, no, Heather, look, look I hear you. Look. I'll
be honest. I can really see very strong arguments for
both sides, I really can. Look, this is where I'm
coming at it, and again, people may agree disagree. I'm
just using Massachusetts as an example, but it's an issue
across the entire country. Since when does Morey Healley care

(23:43):
about the education of our kids? You know, since when
I could run down you, Andrea Campbell, the Attorney General.
In other words, I'm seeing all of these big lefties
and Democrats who have run the education system into the ground,
who are in doctrinating our kids with some of the sickest,
most perverse ideas imaginable, and all of a sudden, now

(24:07):
you care about a proper learning environment. You now suddenly
care if the kids are distracted or not distracted, or
are they focusing on you know, their work or their lessons.
They don't give a damn. They look at schools as
in doctrination centers. So when I'm like, no, no, you
never care about the well being of my child. No,

(24:29):
So it's not that reason, And I honestly believe it's
two things. I think it's they're getting caught with their
pants down, pardon the pun, with these kids, especially more
high school than elementary obviously, but you know, even middle school,
these woke teachers are being filmed, they're being videotaped, and

(24:49):
they're being caught. And their parents get to realize because
people won't believe a kid if the kid comes home
and says, you know what, they were teaching communism in
the classroom. Really, I don't believe. No, really, daddy, I'm
telling you. Come on. But when you listen to it
and they go, no, Dad, look here I got it
on you know tape, my videotape. It here it is,
it's on the phone, and you go, what, this is

(25:10):
what they're teaching or this is what your teacher did
in the class. That's why there's been so many scandals.
And that's why. Look, I think it's a major reason
why they're now going to shut down the Department of
Education because of this. So I think that's the key reason.
I also think another reason is it makes them seem

(25:34):
like they're doing something. But I can just tell you
this and this is very sad. And again you can
tell me if you agree or disagree, Heather at frankly,
the whole audience. My biggest concern when my children go
to school. Yes, I don't want them brainwashed. I don't
want them indoctrinated. Yes, But honest to God, my number

(25:56):
one concern is is my child going to come home safe?
Is my child going to come home alive? In other words,
is there going to be a school shooting? You know
when in terms of this, you know, the the uh,
it's like where it's it's like it's like playing you know,
I don't know, uh a bingo or whatever, spin the wheel,
because it's always some school shooting somewhere somewhere in some city,

(26:19):
in some district in some state. Is the number now
going to be for my child? Because that's it's like
basically a school shooting a week practically now, And I'm like,
so when is my turn? When is going to be
from you know, my children? God forbid? And in almost
every instance, not every, but almost it's the children in

(26:42):
the school that end up calling either nine one one
or call their parents, who then call nine one one
that get the police there if they're gonna, you know,
interdict the shooter. Now, usually some kids are already killed
by then, or or teachers or administrating. But it's rarely
the school that actually is proactive or makes that call

(27:07):
to nine one one. It's off in the students, they
hear shooting, they go underneath bang nine one one, and
off they're telling the you know, hi, I'm at whatever
John F. Kennedy School here and whatever. I'll just make
it up. In Austin, Texas, please there's a shooter, send help,
or mommy, daddy, mommy, there's a shooter. There's a shooter,

(27:27):
and the parents will will come in and and and
call nine one one. So I'm like, you can't protect
my kids. You refuse to protect my kids because you
insist on these gun free zones. And so what now
you're gonna tell you my kid can't even have a
cell phone to protect himself or herself to call to

(27:47):
try to get help. God forbid if there's a bad situation.
Jeff Cohner, Boston's bulldozer. Sixty one seven two six six,
sixty eight, sixty eight is the number. Okay, let me
ask all view. Should cell phones be banned in public schools?
I don't care if it's middle school, high school, doesn't matter.

(28:09):
Should cell phones be banned in schools? Yes? Or no?
Let's go right back to Heather in Rockland. Heather. I
know you said you don't have children yourself, but you
do have several nephews. Heather. I'm just curious when you
talk to the parents of your nephews, do they complain

(28:34):
that their kids are basically addicted to those phones or
Apple watches or whatever, these smartphones as they call them,
and that it is these cell phones and it is
these apple watches, these gadgets that just are distracting them
from learning, are distracting them from doing well at school,

(28:54):
and are stunting their ability to socialize properly. Is it
a problem with your nephews or do the parents of
your nephews complain to you about cell phones and cell
phone use? I'm just curious.

Speaker 2 (29:10):
Actually, I've never heard, and I want to say, I've
never heard my sister complain about that. I mean, I know, well,
Liam's three at third three, he's going in third grade,
and he's mister social social and I mean, all my
life is pretty good social skills for the most part,
I'd say, so, No, she's never really complained about that.

(29:30):
I just I mean, you know, I just think, you know,
sometimes you see kids and it's just like, you know,
some of them don't have the greatest social skills. And
I do think and that was my initial thought was yes, Vienna,
because I feel like it will help with the social skills.
But I've changed. I think I've almost changed my mind

(29:54):
based on what you you know, the points you brought
up before. Can I just say one one thing though
about the text or the earlier the text about the
have and have not.

Speaker 1 (30:05):
Yes, yes, yeah, I think.

Speaker 2 (30:08):
That's a little bit of nonsense because every you know,
in life, everybody's gonna have something more, like you know, yeah,
one kid could have a better cell phone whatever, but
that's life, even as adults. Like for instance, yesterday I
was at the gym and I saw, you know, this
girl had a really nice cell phone, better than mine,
and I was like, oh, how do you like your

(30:28):
cell phone? I'm you know what I mean, Like I
was thinking, you know, asking her about her cell phone, like,
and she had a better one than mine. But I'm like,
I mean, that's that's just life, you know what I mean.
Everyone's there's not you know, somebody's always going to have
something more, you know what I mean. So the kids
better get used to it while they're young. So because
you know, going through life, you got to run into

(30:49):
somebody who has more than you. I have something that
you would you know, I would like to acquire. So
I mean you can't go by like, oh, you know,
the kids gonna get jealous. I mean the adults get jealous,
you know, with the the Joe Schmoe hasn't got a cat,
you know what I mean. So I don't know, I
just think that's that's a stupid argument, that that one's stupid.

(31:11):
But but I think more like what you said as
far as the safety, as far as like being able
to you know, the kids taking pictures or whatnot, or
you know, even videotaping, the nonsense that goes on some
of these teachers that are teaching them this craziness, craziness

(31:32):
I think is crazy. And lastly, I do think with
high school, I don't think you really can necessarily me
middle school maybe too, but more high school. I think
this should be like some sort of policy per se.
But I don't think you can really like totally get

(31:53):
rid of the cell phones because, like I said, my
nephew now he drives, he has to, he has his truck,
he kind of needs. What if he gets an accident
or you know what.

Speaker 1 (32:02):
I mean, I agree with you, no, Heather. Look, I
think whether we like it or not, it's just now
it's a fact of life. In twenty twenty five, cell
phones are prevalent. I mean most people now don't even
have a hard line, like a hard phone line. They
just have a cell phone. That's it. That's their phone.

(32:22):
And look, I disagree with these liberal policies. I want
to roll back these liberal policies, but the fact of
the matter is they're here, they're on the books, and
the consequences are crime has exploded. School safety is much
worse now than it was forty fifty years ago, and

(32:43):
school shootings are much more common now than they were
forty fifty sixty years ago. So you know, look, my
Ava has a phone, not a phone. She has one
of these like a wrisk phones, so like she can't
you know, she can only text and call. That's it.
She doesn't have access to the Internet or anything like that.

(33:03):
But you know, she's thirteen years old and we worry
about her all the time. So yeah, she has one
of these little wristwatches. She's had it for two years now,
and she can call me. And in fact, she's always
texting me when I start my show, giving me hearts
and emojis and I love you Daddy and stuff like that.
So I always want to keep an eye on her.

(33:23):
And by the way, it has a locator. God forbid
if something should happen to her. Now, you can call
me a helicopter parent. But I'm telling you that kids
get abducted now all the time. So no, I'm sorry,
cell phones are just or you know, or having your
child having a phone is just part of life in
twenty twenty five. I wish it wasn't the case, but

(33:45):
that's how it is. So, you know, I agree with you, Heather,
And especially at sixteen, seventeen, eighteen kids now, you know,
they do all kinds of activities. They got jobs, they're driving,
something happens, they have a phone, they can call you.
You so it's almost become a necessity. Heather, thank you
very much for that call.

Speaker 2 (34:06):
No.

Speaker 1 (34:06):
Look, my position is again it goes back to parental rights.
Now again you may disagree with me. I'm just giving
you my point of view. If a school wants to
dictate a policy, and I'm just giving you my kids
as an example, then and you know that's up to
the school. The school has the right to do that.
I as a parent have a right to voice my

(34:28):
objection or my complaint, and I can go to the
school board, or I can go to the principle or
vice principle and we can make some kind of an
arrangement or whatever. What I'm saying is this, the school
can say no, I don't want you on these phones.
During the classroom. No, absolutely not. We want you focused
on learning, on the teacher, on the lesson, on your work,

(34:50):
or whatever it may be. But if they have the
phone on them, now they're not supposed to use them.
But if they have the phone on on them, well yeah,
god forbid. If there is a school shooting, or if
there is some kind of a public safety emergency or whatever,
if the child has a health emergency, or if there's

(35:12):
a family emergency at home, like there's all kinds of factors.
I want my child to be able to make a
phone call or to receive a phone call. Because you
can't guarantee the safety of my child, I'm sorry. Like,
the record is clear, it's it's obvious. So no, I

(35:34):
have a right as a parent to do what is
best for my child. Now, my child doesn't have the
right to interrupt the classroom. My child doesn't have the
right to interrupt the teacher from being able to do
his or her job. So, you know, if the policy
is you don't watch videos, you don't play on the
cell phone, you don't you know, you don't use it

(35:55):
during classroom time, then the students should be punished. Child
should be punished. I completely agree with that. But this
blanket mandate every school, every classroom bell to bell, across
the you know, and across the entire state. No, absolutely not.

(36:19):
I'm against it because I'm generally against mandates. Six one,
seven two, six, six sixty eight sixty eight is the number.

Speaker 2 (36:29):
Uh.

Speaker 1 (36:29):
And by the way, and I want to read a
text later. It's a very good text. It's from a teacher,
he said, Jeff, A, they don't really improve academically when
you get rid of the cell phones. It's just not true.
And B and this is I think even the bigger point, Jeff,
he goes, you think these kids are stupid. They get
burner phones, so even they can put them in a pouch,

(36:52):
they can put them in a basket, they can hold
it for the kid all day long. They have a
second or third phone, you know, what they call a
burner phone. And in fact, many of these kids take
pride in how they get around school rules. So you're
not really getting rid of the cell phone. And what

(37:13):
you've done is you've just imposed another regulation, another mandate,
where you're infringing upon a localism and the autonomy and
authority of school districts. And to me, the bigger issue
parental authority and parental rights. It's my child and if

(37:34):
I believe a cell phone is necessary to keep that
child safe, my child should be able to have a
cell phone. Six Well, I mean, I don't am I wrong?
Geno in New Hampshire. Thanks for holding Gino and welcome
Hi Jeff, Hi Geno.

Speaker 3 (37:53):
So, I work in some of the school systems up
here in New Hampshire, in the technology department in it,
and I'm kind of for it because I've worked in
a few districts in the past couple of years, and
I think in New Hampshire at least this mandate kind
of had to happen because these schools are so infested
or infected with liberalism, and these teachers will never allow

(38:19):
something like this to happen with the block or like
the cell phone event. And the reason I'm for it
is because these kids just waste so much time. I've
seen it. I call it TikTok brain They just stare
at you brain dead because all they're doing is just
on their phone all day. They just want to escape,
blast go on floan that go on their phones to
make TikTok videos and just like not do education.

Speaker 1 (38:42):
Like at all.

Speaker 3 (38:43):
And in the past couple of weeks, I've been back
at the school getting ready for the new school year
in the technology department, and I've had kids come in
talking to me saying how they're going to try to
get around the system by using two way radios and
like doing all this same stuff that try to like
define the system. Like, guys, to your class work and
focus on the work. We have classroom phones in every room,

(39:05):
so then everyone can, like you can call your parents
from there, and your parents if they need you, they
call the school. They get a hold of you through
the classroom phone. I'm like, that's how it was when.

Speaker 1 (39:14):
I was a kid.

Speaker 3 (39:15):
It's it's like it's not that much it's really gonna change.
Just do your work now. I don't agree that it
had to be done sadly, like through the government. Like
I don't like big government. I hate big government. But
I just don't think any policy that we would say
change would have wins the room because of how like
liberalized these school talking it out. But I'm curious to

(39:36):
see what happens with academics and everything for like the
next year, and we'll see what happens. I'm really curious
how this year will be to see if it improves anything,
because that's what I'm really hoping for. And if it doesn't,
I do wonder if it's in this working outrage and
baby OI get reversed at least up here in your future.

Speaker 1 (39:54):
Well, you know it's you. Literally it's it's funny, uh
almost word for work, because Grace hates TikTok. Right, you
mentioned TikTok and you said they're almost like zombies. And
that's that was like last night's conversation. I just you know,
I'm like, gino, were you were you there? That I
miss you in the kitchen. You know, that's Grace's that's

(40:16):
Grace's argument. She says, no, Jeff, you're wrong. I'm like, well,
what do you mean? She goes, Look, I spend more
time with the kids than you do. I spend more
time with their friends than you do. I'm like, okay,
and she said exactly what you said. She goes, they
are hooked on these devices. They're in school, they're not learning.
They're literally not learning, they're just staring at TikTok, like
you said, like zombies. And it's she goes, it's very

(40:41):
scary and it consumes so much of their day they're
not learning anything. Now apparently, I'm just this is a
study from Scientific American. So look, it's one study, but
you know it's to back up Grace's point. Apparently, according
to Scientific American, the average American school child, okay, elementary,

(41:04):
middle and high school spends an hour and a half
during the school day, not the entire day, the entire
day there it's it's hours and hours. But you know whatever,
from bell to bell an hour and a half on
their phones an hour and a half. That's a lot.

(41:25):
I mean, what are they in school? Like five hours?
Six hours a dest right, and there's lunch and there's recess,
and so that's a lot. That is a lot, and
that's apparently mostly in the classroom. So you know, Gino,
there's no question there's a massive problem. So now, GINO,
if you don't mind, So you're saying, in New Hampshire,

(41:47):
is there a state law mandating this or is this
just by school districts?

Speaker 3 (41:54):
This is a state law because they put it into
the the last budget. Kelly signed it, and they got
snuck in. They were trying to do it as an
individual bill, but I think it got shot down or
it got held up and like it went in the limbo,
so like it never advanced, so they did sneak it
in last second. And it is interesting because when it

(42:15):
went through, I've been hearing all the teachers like freaking
out about this. And the one last example I wanted
to give was where the cell phones were really a
bad thing. Now that the kids can keep them in
their back powered off or just off silent, so they're
always around them, so if like a shooting did happen,
they can't take them out.

Speaker 1 (42:31):
Yeah, I see, I like that with anyone. Yeah, I know, see,
I like that. If they can keep it on them,
then I like that because in case of an emergency,
then they can use it. So that I like already.
But I'm sorry, Gino, keep going.

Speaker 2 (42:44):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (42:45):
The other issue was that we had a ceiling leak,
like the ceiling like collapse and this pipe burst and
all this water was flooded into the cafeteria. And what
was awful about it is instead of the kids evacuating
this was a middle school. Instead of the kids evacuating,
they took out their phones and they were reporting it,
putting themselves in danger. And to me, when I heard
about the cell phone ban. I'm like, that's it, this

(43:06):
needs to go. I'm glad for this because, yeah, the kids, like,
you know, it's kind of a good thing, the kids showing, Hey,
the buildings stilllapidating, it's falling apart. The district kind of
wanted to keep that under the brubble, like they didn't
want the people know about it. But at the same time,
the kids are not getting out of the building, they're
not getting out of park's way, and that was a
big safety issue. And I with a cell phone ban

(43:28):
in a sense, I do feel like that might make
things a bit safer in the future if something similar
were to happen. But at the same time, the school
should have tried to cover that up.

Speaker 1 (43:36):
So interesting, interesting, I go both ways.

Speaker 3 (43:40):
Yeah, it's very interesting hearing how you guys are talking
about this, because I'm all for it at this point,
but I wish it was done as a trial, like, hey,
we're gonna do this for like two years, let's review
the results. Has test scortes gone off? Has anything changed?
And if stuff has gotten better and things have improved,
then they're like, okay, let's look at this long term
and it but if nothing changes and like it's all

(44:02):
about the same. Then they're like, all right, well this
was a waste of time and they should have reversed it.
That's how I wish it would have went through. But
I guess the only time we'll tell to see how
it goes.

Speaker 1 (44:12):
Gino again, very good call. Thank you very much for
that call. Six one seven two six six sixty eight
sixty eight is the number. Look, it's it's a push now,
there's really there's a national movement. There's tremendous momentum. As
I said, Massachusetts now is going to enact, most likely
as what they call a bell to bell ban on

(44:33):
cell phones in schools. Thirty one states already have either
a full ban or restrictions, and it's going to be
more now. I think it's going to be fifty states
within about a year or two. The way this, it's
such an aggressive push and the teachers, many of them
are pushing it, The National Education Association, the unions are

(44:55):
pushing it. You have a lot of Republicans who agree
with it, many Democrats agree with it. So I don't know.
I doubt if any state will be able to hold out,
but we shall see. Look just very quickly Look, this
is also Grace's argument because I want to be fair
to the other side. She says, Look, Jeff, exactly to

(45:15):
your point, Gino, that there's a desocialization that is happening
that she says, is very and she's not the only
one who says this. That is it's different. It's not
you know, oh, in my day, you know, this is
not some middle aged fogie. Oh back in our day,
you know, we were so much better. No, no, she says, Look,

(45:37):
you don't understand. It was Gino's point. Something is you know,
the roof is leaking, it may collapse, and instead of
like hey, alert, alert, alert, get the hell out, let's
film it. Dude, someone's getting their brains beaten in. Nobody
steps in to stop it. They're just filming it. Like

(46:00):
in other words, this basic a self preservation, be empathy, conscience, uh,
you know, care for other people. Everything is virtual reality.
And the way Grace describes it is it's soul sucking.
These devices are soul destroying. Now, to be fair, it's

(46:23):
not just a cell phone. She's talking about iPads, computers,
video games, you know, the whole you know, the iPhone,
like the whole thing. But she says, it's just a
generation reared on a screen and there's no almost no
human interaction. And that's why you're just seeing this almost

(46:46):
loss of loss of morality, loss of just basic social
understanding and even basic social interaction. Now the teachers are
making this point, they go, you don't understand kids used
to play, like that's the one thing about kids, even

(47:07):
in high school whatever, they're hanging out together, well whatever,
they're on the phone, lunchtime, they're eating and they're on
the phone recess, you know, they're all on the phone.
So it's like, you know, Tommy is not talking to Jenny,
Jenny is not talking to you know, to Pam. Pam
is not talking to Tony. It's like they live in

(47:31):
these individual bubbles. And to push it even more, they're saying, look,
they don't even know how to say hi, like a hello,
say goodbye, never mind shaking someone's hand. Here we're just
talking about it here in my circle, here at iHeart.
You look at these twenty somethings. Now, gen z whatever

(47:52):
they're called, they're being told now gen zers are being
told when you go in for a job interview, shake
the person's hand, whatever, the one that you know the
employer's hand or the manager's hand, like acknowledge them, make
eye contact, shake their hand. They don't do that. They

(48:16):
don't even know how to do that. They look down
and you're lucky if you get a hello, like literally
like a grunt. Hi, yeah, yeah, I'm here. Yeah, And
they're like, you don't understand. You're making a horrible impression,
like what are you an anti human? So again, now

(48:38):
a band is not going to solve all of this,
But this is Grace's point. He's saying, no, get those
devices out of the classroom, get the kids talking again,
get them socializing again, get them focused on learning and
academics again, get them focused on teachers, and they'll start
becoming normal again. So anyway, that's the argument, okay, six

(49:00):
seven two six six sixty eight sixty eight agree, disagree.
Lynn in Pepperrell, thanks for holding Lynn and welcome.

Speaker 3 (49:11):
Good morning, Jeff.

Speaker 2 (49:13):
I am a high Hi, I'm a high school teacher, okay, and.

Speaker 3 (49:18):
I actually was a career changer, but.

Speaker 1 (49:20):
I started teaching right before the smartphones became a thing.
So I have seen the difference and I see what
your point is about.

Speaker 3 (49:34):
You know, the woke is am et cetera, et cetera.

Speaker 1 (49:37):
But Lynn, do me a favor. Please, This is this
is the perfect call