January 27, 2025 • 38 mins
A group of Massachusetts lawmakers and MA Attorney General Andrea Campbell have filed legislation aimed at cracking down on student cellphone use at public schools through the state. The legislation is being referred to as the “STUDY Act,” which “seeks to implement a “bell-to-bell" restriction on access to cell phones and personal electronic devices during school hours to improve the overall learning environment and school culture.” Similar bans are gaining popularity in both red and blues states across the country…Are you in favor or opposed to banning cellphones in schools?
Sen. Julian Cyr checked in with Dan to discuss.
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Sen. Julian Cyr checked in with Dan to discuss.
Ask Alexa to play WBZ NewsRadio on #iHeartRadio and listen to NightSide with Dan Rea Weeknights From 8PM-12AM!
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
It's Night Side with Dan Ray on WBZY Coustin's new radio.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Thank you very much, Dan Walkins. We are going to
talk about cell phones in schools here in Massachusetts. It
has been a subject that we've talked about before. I
think most of you have a thought or an opinion
on it. But at this point, there have been some
communities that have taken some pretty serious actions, I guess,
(00:32):
including brockdon Fall, River, Mathune and Ipswich have implemented their
own cell phone bands. However, the come all of the
Massachusetts has not acted up until this point. However, there
is a movement afoot in joining us is one of
the members of the Massachusetts State State Senator Julian Seyr,
(00:53):
who represents Cape Cod and the Islands. Senator Seyr, Welcome
to Nightside, How are you night Good?
Speaker 3 (01:01):
Good to be with you again.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
Then this is one of those issues that you would
think the legislature could come to agreement on fairly easily.
Really not a Democratic or Republican issue. Why has it
taken so long? I know that there have been some
bills filed for this session, and you are I think
(01:26):
the Senate sponsor of at least one of these bills.
Why why have we not acted sooner than this? I
read some statistics over the weekend that suggest that that
our high school students are not doing as well in
the last couple of years as they did before the pandemic.
And we can attribute obviously a lot of that to
(01:46):
the pandemic. But has cell phone usage and the ability
of kids to have cell phones on them, in their hens,
in their pocket at school. Do you think he impacted
this as well?
Speaker 1 (01:59):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (01:59):
I mean, you know, look, I'm someone who you know,
grew up with you know, came of age of adulthood
with cell phones, with social media. But I'm really glad
right that I went through middle school and when went
through high school before the advent of social media and
before the advent of smartphone. You know, especially in college
when when when Facebook came out? And you know, the
(02:23):
junior when when when when the iPhone was invented and
first came out? And really, you know, I really believe
that my education and my social development were all the
better for not having a smartphone on me at all
times when I was in middle and in high school.
The distraction factor, the bullying factor, the anxiety factor, and
(02:46):
and so so like you said, I think we're trying
to get some you know, quick traction on this. This
is actually the first time, you know, I filed the
deslation on this in partnership with Attorney General Campbell and
Promisent of Pice in the House. And so, George, why
I think move quickly here?
Speaker 4 (03:03):
Uh?
Speaker 3 (03:04):
You know, really, I think schools are grappling with this.
You know, about seventy percent of teachers report cell phones
being a problem in their classrooms, especially in middle and
high school.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
And the more we just learn about the effects of
this technology, Uh, there's pretty significant mental health concerns. So
I think we're hoping to take take action. And that's why,
you know, I filed the bill for the first time. Uh,
you know, this session which just got underway.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
So let me ask you if, for example, let's take
a typical piece of legislation out there. Let's say that
there's some some legislation dealing with taxes. Well, you know
that there's going to be some some senators and representatives
who are going to be opposed, some are going to
be supportive of it. You're going to have corporations come in,
You're going to have you know, various lobbying groups come
(03:52):
in and what on just about any piece of legislation
that is up there. Very really do we get a
piece of legislation that you might think of as a
no brainer. I thought for a long time the whole
question of revenge pornography was a no brainer, and it
took more than a couple of sessions to get something
(04:13):
done on that. Who would be opposed at this point
other than some high school kids and middle school kids
would say, I don't want to give up my cell phone.
Why would this not almost get on a fast track
in both houses and onto.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
Well, what we're hoping to get again on a fast rek.
It's a good question. I think we do expect opposition,
certainly from social media companies. Right this bill. This bill
does two things. It has a basically a bell to
bell policy, right that really says, look, when you're in school,
no cell phone use, giving students the opportunity to engage
with our education unfettered by digital distraction. And then the
(04:51):
second piece of the bill is putting important standards for
social media companies so that we're holding these corporations accountable
for the safety and the mental health of the young
people who are using those products. I expect we'll see
opposition from those social media companies. We may see opposition
as well from from from cell phone companies and others.
(05:11):
You know, but I really think in this instance, right, let.
Speaker 2 (05:13):
Me ask you this Enator, you know more about this
than I do. Why not bifurcate those those aspects. I
agree with you that that there might be some pushback
whenever liability issues are presented, and the folks at Meta
and Instagram would say, hey, it's not our responsibility when
(05:34):
some kid uses the cell phone for the wrong purposes,
But why not just take take the chunk of it
that I think everyone will agree upon, and that is
that if you're going to school, you have a cell
phone pouch that you put your cell phone in and
your locker and you'll lock it up and you don't
see it, oh until it's time to go home. And
I know some of the argument is, well, what happens
(05:55):
if there's some sort of a collect catastrophe at the
school in this day and age, you know, a school shooter. Well,
I would think that probably at that point most parents
would hope that their child would be kept safe. And
that you know that that to me, it isn't a
(06:18):
serious objection, to be honest with you, because if my
child is in a school where there's a shooter around,
the last thing I want them to do is be
dialing the telephone and calling me and saying I'm okay,
because that could give away their location. If the shooter
just happened to be walking by, why not just bikeificate
that and keep it simple and just say, hey, you
(06:41):
go to school, go to public school in Massachusetts, you
turn either don't bring the phone to school, or when
you come in through the school you got to put
it in a pouch and and secure it for the
rest of the school day. Or am I being Pollyannish
when I.
Speaker 3 (06:54):
Asked that question, Well, I mean I think we have,
you know, twin challenges going on, right. It's it's not
just the device, right, and the technology, but what the
content and and and the interactions that are on that device.
And the more we know about how social media adversely
affects mental health. I mean everyone's mental health, right, but
(07:16):
but particularly for young people. I really believe these these
social media platforms, which who look are making a heck
of a lot of money off of all of us,
especially young people, that they have to, you know, have
common sense standards like age IC verification systems to protect minors,
default privacy settings so that you know we're minimizing harmful
(07:37):
engagement for young people, mechanisms to flag and wanted content. Right,
that's really a common sense and it's also a no brainer.
So you know, look, I'm really proud to have partnered
with the Attorney General and represented Pish and others, you know,
to put forward this common sensilitization. We're going to work
to refine it and and you know, move it as
quickly as we can. But even just the attention we've
(07:58):
gotten on this bill, I think speaks to the public's
desire and the real need for us to take action here.
Eight other states have passed Bell de Bell policies that include,
you know, these sort of restrictions and these stafeguards, and
I think it's really time that Massachusetts joined.
Speaker 2 (08:15):
Well, I agree with you, and I wish you all
the best on this. My only concern is having covered
the legislature as a TV reporter a long time ago
and followed the legislature as a talk show host and
understand how it works up there. That I think if
the cell phone companies go up and argue about liability issues,
(08:38):
that a lot of the members of the legislature might
be able to be persuaded to slow something down. But
just to save this group of high school students, freshman
and sophomore, juniors and seniors and middle school students, I'd
just let to see the bell developing passed immediately and
then take on the tougher issues. If they want to
(09:00):
fight you with the tougher issues, we'll get whatever support
you know you need on those. But I just I'm
afraid that and I think you probably know what I'm
saying that that we'll we'll be talking about this sometime
in late July, or rather late June with the legislative
the formal session going out, and then we go into
informal session beginning on August first, which anyone legislator can object.
(09:25):
So that's my concern is that that the perfect will
be the will be the enemy.
Speaker 3 (09:29):
Of the of the good on you know, yeah, I
think on Beacon Hill, right, there's there's there's sort of
two routes often right one is additional one where just
it takes a long long time to get something done.
But then there's the other instance right where we move
all these swiftly on something in part and response to
health risk and give an issue. You know, look, if
(09:50):
we've seen anything over the last you know, week or two,
we can't count on social media corporations to be looking
out for health and safety and the well being of
a young people's that's clear to me now more than ever.
I think the bell to bell policy as well as
really common sense and so just hoping that this one's
going to be in that sort of swifter category. Heck,
(10:13):
if we get this done by Junior July this year,
that'll be a record time. But I know you're talking
about the second year of the session in twenty twenty six,
but you know, really really eager to work on it.
I think the track record of getting things don Alice
Pie is a very respective member in the House, and
to have the support of the Attorney General here, I
think is hopefully a recipe for swift action on an
(10:33):
issue that we need.
Speaker 2 (10:35):
Yeah, well, best of luck with it, Thank you one.
This is one that I think everyone should agree on.
But do me a favor if you are able to
make significant progress on the whole ball of wax and
dealing with it as one piece of legislation that covers
everything the bell to bell as well as the issues
(10:57):
of liability and all of that. Let me know about
it and we'll support you on that. But at the
same time, I hope we're not talking about this six
months or a year from now and it's still has
in terms of the bell the bell, because I think
I think that it's very clear that that that distraction
in school. Hey, when you and I were in high school,
(11:17):
there are enough distractions anyway, we didn't need cell phones
to even further complicate matters. So yeah, keep us posted
on it.
Speaker 3 (11:29):
Yeah, I appreciate it, and uh all right, we'll tire
swist as we can. Thanks so much for having me.
Speaker 2 (11:35):
You're very welcome. State Senator Julian Syrah, Democrat who represents
Cape Cod and the Islands. Now, what I'd like to
hear I would like to hear from all of you
on this, uh it particularly if you're somebody who has
either students or grand children in school. Uh if you
are remember of a member of the teacher, a teacher
(11:57):
in high schools or or junior high schools, and I
suspect that it's also at this point bleeding down or
leaking down into elementary schools. What is the benefit at
all of a student who's in high school or in
junior high school or in elementary school. You get twelve grades,
(12:17):
you get preschool obviously in kindergarten, but it gets a
little serious after the first and second grade, so he
get about ten years between, you know, by time they
get out of the second grade and you've got to graduate. Okay,
And there's no justification in my opinion for anyone opposing
this bill. What the Senator said was that when it
(12:40):
gets into the other portions of the legislation dealing with
liability issues, yeah, the lawyers and the lobbyists are going
to come in and say, hey, wait a second, it's
a telephone. I mean, it's the same as the telephone
that people used in the nineteen thirties, forties, fifties, sixties, seventies,
and eighties. That there can be abuses. So jump on
(13:04):
board on this one because I think this is one
where we need to talk about it a little bit,
because it is a no brainer. But as soon as
the Senator talked about any of the complexities, get on
the books, what we can get on the books, we
are you know, the state where Horace Man founded public education. Well,
(13:28):
there's a lot of public education that's not going on
because the distractions of cell phone six one seven, two, five,
four ten thirty six one seven, nine three one ten thirty.
This is one of those issues that I do not
believe is a Democrat, Republican, conservative, liberal or any everyone
should be in favor of this. Bring a cell phone.
(13:49):
You want to have a cell phone on the school bus,
want to have a cell phone, walk into school, whatever, Fine,
when you get to school, it's got to be stowed,
and it's got to be turned off, and you don't
have access until you go to your locker at the
end of the day to leave the school. Simple as that.
And it doesn't get turned on until you're off the
school property, and it doesn't get it doesn't get it's
(14:11):
turned off as soon as you walk onto the school property.
I think it's simple call me and agree or disagree
six one seven, two four ten thirty six one seven
nine three one ten thirty. And those of you that
have classroom experience, obviously students, you were more than welcome
to call in and tell me either your positive stories
about cell phones or your negative stories. Again, nothing wrong
(14:32):
with cell phones, just like there's nothing wrong with automobiles,
nothing wrong with a lot of things except how they're
used when they're used. Back on Night's Side after.
Speaker 1 (14:40):
This, Now back to Dan ray Line from the Window
World Night Side Studios on WBZ News Radio.
Speaker 2 (14:49):
So there was a story in The Globe which prompted
this conversation, this issue tonight, this topic. We've talked about
it before. And there was a need and mom who
held a photograph of her daughter who was only eighteen
years old and who had died buried at a cemetery
(15:12):
in Newton. And the mom believes that her daughter, who died,
according to the Globe, from an accidental overdose of drugs
that have been laced with fentanyl, she acquired through a
deal as she met through social media. Now that's a
(15:33):
broader issue, okay, And it goes to the issue of
just the accessibility that young people have through their cell phones.
But I think that genie is out of the bottle
(15:55):
and I don't think that there's any way that it
can be put back in. The cell phones are out there,
computers are out there. Kids can reach and get access
to things that people your age and my age would
never ever know how to find. And our heart goes
(16:19):
out to the woman who was profiled in the Globe
in the last couple of days and the loss of
her daughter, and the just the expression on her face tells,
it tells the heartbreak that she must that she has
to have here for the daughter, who is who's who's
(16:41):
lost her life at the age of eighteen. But that's
that's the larger focus. And in talking to state senators here,
the larger focus was what do you do to legislatively
impact these cell phones in terms of their liability, and
which as understandable, okay, but and but that's going to
(17:07):
complicate things in my opinion on Beacon Hill. And you've
often heard the phrase never let the perfect the enemy
of the good. And they should simply pass a piece
of legislation that would say, hey, in Massachusetts public schools.
(17:31):
I don't know that they have the ability to legislate
in terms of private schools. Let's just focus on public schools,
whether it's elementary, middle which I think everybody knows is
sort of sixth, seventh, eighth or seventh eighth, ninth, and
high schools that when your child or your grandchild walks
(17:53):
onto that school property. At seven thirty in the morning,
the cell phone goes off, and certainly when they walk
in the door, the cell phone is put in some
sort of a safe location. They can put in their
locker as long as they don't access their locker later
on during the day or access to cell phone. They
can go back and forth to their locker, but the
(18:15):
cell phone has to be in a safe place. The
safest place is not to bring it to school. Okay,
but there are several school departments, public schools, districts Rocked
and Fall River, Methunea, and Ipswich have implemented their own
cell phone bands. There are eight states around the country California,
(18:36):
Big State, Florida, Big State, Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Ohio, South Carolina,
and Virginia. Some of those states are fairly democratic, some
of those states are pretty Republican. Some of those states
are pretty balanced. The bottom line is, I don't think
there should be any disagreement amongst anyone that the I
(19:00):
can't think of a legitimate argument. I can think of
a couple of the arguments, and if you want to
bring them up and argue them, that's fine. But I
think there should be a groundswell of support of people
urging the legislature here in Massachusetts to as Senator Seir
referred to it as to being any access, never mind usage,
(19:22):
just access to the cell phone bell de bell meaning
from the moment in the morning when the bell rings
until the moment of the afternoon when the bell rings.
It's as simple as that. Now, maybe this is not
a subject that interests you, but if it does, I
want to hear from you. And if you have an
experience as a teacher, if you find yourself trying to
(19:42):
teach a class and you realize that some of the
students are using their phone to either text message or
to listen to other conversations, there are ways in which
the kids today are much more intelligent and knowledgeable about
how all of this technology works. They are being short changed.
(20:04):
They have one chance at an education. Maybe the education
will take them on through high school, into college and
onto graduate school. Fine, but for many kids, the end
of formal education comes many students at graduation at the
age of eighteen. And I think that immeasurable harm is
being done to the education of students in Massachusetts. We are,
(20:27):
as they mentioned before, the state of Horace Man where
public education was founded, and we should be able to
take a very quick strong step legislatively House Senate Governor
saying no cell phone usage in school Bell de Belle,
that's what Senator Seir referred to it as. And and
(20:48):
don't even complicate the other issues. Deal with the other
issues later, same separate bill. Simple as that six one, seven, two, five,
four ten thirty six one seven, nine three one ten thirty.
Can any of you tell me an advantage? I just
think that this is one of those where everyone agrees,
but you're not courageous enough to pick off the phone
and call. And if you disagree with me on this
(21:10):
one and think that, oh yeah, won't my kid have
a cell phone? Fine, let me know why. I don't
understand it. Don't understand the argument. Back on Nightside after this.
Speaker 1 (21:20):
It's Nightside with Dan Ray on Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (21:25):
So we're talking about what I think of as a
no brainer. But sometimes what I think of as a
no brainer, people have pretty good arguments. Let's see what
people have to say. Going to start it off with
Steve and Cambridge. Steve to me, this is a no brainer.
I mean, why should kids have cell phones in school?
During the day when they're supposed to be learning.
Speaker 4 (21:46):
Dan, What I object to is the power that we
give the state government to control our lives in so
many ways. Sure enough, you know, taxes on cigarettes, seat belts,
so many things. I mean, I'm not saying they're all
bad or they're not good ideas, but I mean we are,
(22:11):
as American citizens, are supposed to be individual and be
able to make our decisions for ourselves, particularly adults. So
I you know, Dan, I walk through the streets of
Boston and Cambridge, and I get on the subways. It
seems like everyone is mesmerized by cell phones, not just
(22:33):
kids mesmerized all the time. What I would rather see is,
evidently you said that there are school districts that have
implemented strict cell phone rules.
Speaker 2 (22:49):
I think the Globe is reporting, and they have no
reason to believe that it's inaccurate. But the Globe is reporting.
There are about four different school systems around the state
have done that. The ones in question interesting group Brockton,
which is a school system that's in you know, real
urban school system, Fall River, Mathrowing, and Ipswich, which are
(23:10):
kind of more I don't know, they're None of those
are what you call your wealthiest of towns, but every
kid has a cell phone these days. My question is, Stave,
here's my question to you. We're talking about you and
I are taxed in large part to educate young people.
I mean, that's one of the responsibilities that we have.
(23:32):
We may not like it, but that's that's one of
the places that my tax dollars go that I accept
and understand. And if some kids in a classroom are
trying to learn and others are goofing around talking on
the cell phone, being distracting those kids, I would rather
(23:53):
say to kids, hey, look, let let's split it up.
Let's have classrooms where cell phones are used and kids
where cell phones aren't used. It seems to me it
has an adverse impact. It's one thing if I'm sitting
if I'm sitting on an MBTA car, If I'm sitting
on an MBT car and some knucklehead is next to
me screaming or talking wildly into a cell phone, I
can deal with that. I may say something and say, hey,
(24:15):
can you kind of keep your conversation down or whatever.
But if you're a kid in school and you're trying
to concentrate and there's some goofball in the classroom? Who's talking?
You know, sooac to his girlfriend in the back? Hey,
where you want to go Friday night? Debbie? What would
you like to go?
Speaker 4 (24:33):
Dan? Dan? I? You know, I one hundred percent agree
with you. I think this should be up to the
school districts and the principles. Why does it have to
come from the state. Everything has to come to the state,
you know, let's limit the number.
Speaker 2 (24:47):
Can I make an argument? Can I make an argument
to you? My argument to you, counselor would be The
reason I think this has to come from the state
is that I don't don't trust all the school superintendents
to do the right thing. And I think that if
the school superintendents they all get you know, money, money
(25:09):
from the state to run their school systems. It's not
as if each school system is run basically upon just
the money. They all get money for school systems. And
I just think that take give the give the the
superintendent who doesn't have a backbone and excuse to say, oh,
I don't have a choice. If it was up to me,
(25:30):
I'd let the kids do what they want. But but
I have to I have to compose this because this
is what the state says.
Speaker 4 (25:36):
Yeah, well, Dan, I think I think we're just ceding
too much power to the state. And I think the
principles the you know, parents are involved in the schools,
uh to some extent, PTA associations, you know, parents, teachers associations.
I think. I mean, I agree with you, it's a
no brainer. I don't think the kids should have bones
(25:58):
in the schools at all. I just don't want to
see it going to the state.
Speaker 2 (26:03):
We disagree on the implementation. I get it. I understand
the point you're making. It's a philosophical point. But I
want to make sure it gets done, and I want
to make sure it gets done for every kid who's
serious about going to school. Look, if you're a goofball,
you want to sit in the back of the room
and and pass notes to your buddies and and and
ignore what the teachers are saying. I can't prevent you
(26:24):
from doing that. You know, have ad it, and you know,
and deal with the consequences when when you're twenty five
and unemployed or twenty two in on them and you're.
Speaker 4 (26:36):
Okay, Dan, Dan, I'll give you a pass on this one.
Speaker 2 (26:39):
Okay, Later, good night, Steve, and I generally are right
on point with each other. They're going to go next
to Alice in Beverly. Hey Alice, how are you tonight?
Speaker 5 (26:51):
Oh good, I've been a school nurse for a number
of years.
Speaker 6 (26:55):
Oh thank you for calling it.
Speaker 5 (26:57):
I think it is a no brainer. And also some
of the things that you talked about, like I think
some kids, the kids would come into my nurse's office.
I worked in public schools, in private schools, and kids
would ask if they could use the telephones call their
parents for something in particular, you know, and as opposed
(27:18):
to using their cell phone when I was in public school,
and that some of the things that they pulled that
they said, something happened at home and I need to
get dismissed, and they would make up these stories. I mean,
some kids don't like school, they don't want to be there,
and they would do anything they can to get out
(27:39):
of it. In no days, Like just the other day,
my friend said that her daughter was seemed to be
coming down with something, and of course I disagreed with
her because she said she wanted to let her come
home and take a nap because she was playing hockey
for the school hockey team. But what she did, but
(28:00):
she did. She didn't have to call. She wasn't calling
her daughter on her cell phone. She called the principal.
Now the principal could have said, no, I'm not dismissing her,
so she can play hockey. But you go through the
principle and the same thing. It's like just like, I mean,
(28:20):
I'm older than you. But you know, we got by
with doing that. And that guy that said to me,
the state's got too much power. Well, the state has
rules and say we have to go to school one
hundred and eighty days. Why don't we just throw all
the rules out and just say do whatever you want.
But there's the state can't say anything. You want an
(28:41):
educated population, Why the heck do you need to be
talking on a cell phone? And when she's doing a podcast,
the whole class is doing.
Speaker 2 (28:53):
You know, I agree with you. I mean you and
I are on the same page. The other thing, too,
is I've heard some parents say, well, if there's ever
some sort of a tragedy in the school, you know,
like a school shooting, I want to know my child
is safe. The last thing you want your child to
do if there's a school shooting going on, and you
want that kid to concentrate on hunkering down, making sure
(29:17):
that they're behind some desks and they have some shelter,
and they keep us quietly.
Speaker 5 (29:22):
What the people are telling them to do, because the
grills and you just want some hysterical mother saying, oh,
get out of there, and get out of there, and
then the teachers saying, everybody, I've got a list here
for all the kids. You know, they don't say shut up,
but it's like, quiet, get in line, do what I
tell you. I know what to do to keep you safe.
Speaker 2 (29:44):
Well, the other thing, the other thing, too, is the
kid in the cell phone is going to you know,
every the school is quiet, there's there's some guy walking
around with a gun, and you know he's going to
be dialing the cell phone. I'm okay, I'm okay, Yeah,
don't worry about it. Everything's fine. Well, if the guy
(30:06):
walking by the door he is and realizes the people
in that room, he may decide to go in the room.
And and that's you do not want your kid calling
on a cell phone. You know, you want your kid
to be quiet, as you said, follow the rules that
the teachers or the school officials you know, supply, and
it hunkered down and be as quiet as you can
(30:27):
under the show.
Speaker 5 (30:28):
I also say dan because I had some parents who
thought I was like too strict. They didn't want the
kids to have immunizations. It's a straight rule, you know.
And they thought that I was the principal actually thought
I was picking on them because I was asking them
to have the immunizations before they came into the school.
(30:49):
I mean, he ended up leaving and taking a lucrative
job with the Force.
Speaker 2 (30:54):
Well, you know what's amazing, And I don't open it
this can of worms. But I agree with you. My
kids got all the ammunizations. I get all the immunizations.
I got my COVID shot, I get my flu shot.
I believe I wasn't.
Speaker 5 (31:05):
I didn't need to get off on that.
Speaker 2 (31:06):
But I just no, no, no, but what But what
I'm saying is at the same time, what we're now
saying is all these kids who have come across the border,
we have no idea what their immunization records are. We
have no idea, and and we're moving them into the
into the.
Speaker 5 (31:20):
Don't come to school at the public school if you
don't agree.
Speaker 2 (31:24):
No, but no, but no, Alice, you're not here on
what I'm saying. What I'm saying is we're we're saying
to the to the to the parents of of of kids,
school school kids who they know, get your shots, get
your shots. But they're bringing in kids from halfway around
the world. You have no idea what the immunizations that
had or they haven't had, and they're mixing with the
(31:45):
population and you have you are seeing some some some
some diseases that we thought we were eradicated coming back.
There may be a relation. Alice got to run because
I pass my break. Thanks for getting us going here,
and I appreciate you your work as a school nurse.
Thank you so much. Okay, all right, we'll take a break,
coming right back on Nightside, and I would mention to
(32:07):
you that we're going to change topics at the top
of the hour, So Angelo and Stella, you're all set.
We'll be back on Nightside right after this.
Speaker 1 (32:14):
Now back to Dan Ray live from the Window World
Nightside Studios on WBZ News Radio.
Speaker 2 (32:21):
I'm gonna go to Stellar, then we're gonna go to Angelo.
Let's go to Stella First Stellar in Manchester, Massachusetts. Hey, Stella, welcome,
How are you tonight?
Speaker 7 (32:30):
I am well thank you, Dan, So Dan, I agree,
no brainer, ring to ring, no cell.
Speaker 2 (32:36):
Phone, Yeah, bell, the bell, ring, the ring, whatever you
want to call it. I'm with you. I'm afraid and
I don't know if if you heard my interview with
State Senator Julian Seer. What my concern is that they
will try to put a bill together that will be
so complicated that it will it will languish up. Let's
(33:00):
just do the first one, bell to bell, no cell
phone usage. Then you start talking about the liability of
the cell phones because of the cell phone companies, because
they're going to bring in their lawyers and they're going
to say, hey, there's a problem with this, there's a
problem with that. That's what I think. I'm afraid that
they will end up the legislature will end up with nothing.
Speaker 7 (33:21):
Ah well, first of all, call me Nai, but I
think if we go to this, it will be not
only helpful in the classroom, but just think about it.
They can talk to each other on their free time,
during their free time, their lunchtime. They're not going to
have those cell phones to keep them occupied, and that
(33:44):
could make a little bit of a change for our
young people.
Speaker 2 (33:48):
And I think no, and I think it would be
a change for the better. It's what's called human interaction.
It's learning how to socialize properly. Look, we all go.
I use a cell phone. I have a smartphone because
it's part of my job. When I'm done professionally as
a broadcaster, the cell phone, I'll keep the numbers of
people who are friends of mine and all of that,
(34:10):
but everything else will go away, because it's just it's
a time killer. And I kind of imagine being a
student and trying to study in the classroom where there's
two or three people in the back of the classroom
talking to you under their front, under their breath, with
covering up their phones, and so the teacher doesn't see them.
You know, Hey, what are we going to do Friday night?
(34:30):
You know, come on, That's what I think.
Speaker 6 (34:32):
Well, not all of that. The temptation you have it
and then you want to look at it. That's I mean,
it just makes sense. So as much as I don't
want government dictating what we do, in this case, I
definitely think no cell phone and sell. Okay, you have
(34:53):
another caller and the break coming out.
Speaker 2 (34:56):
Thank you, thanks very much, you keep calling the show.
Okay you good night. Angelo and Newton. Angela, you're gonna
wrap the hour for us. I'm suspecting you agree with me, Angela,
what do you say?
Speaker 8 (35:07):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (35:08):
I do?
Speaker 1 (35:08):
Dan.
Speaker 8 (35:09):
Did you ever have a phone when you went to school?
Did I have have a hope, have a phone I
went to school, No, we even.
Speaker 2 (35:16):
I don't think we even had pencils and paper when
I went to school, Noly Knning.
Speaker 8 (35:21):
Yeah, did you ever take a calculator or a computer
to school?
Speaker 2 (35:26):
No?
Speaker 8 (35:26):
You never had. You have to today? Then? Well today, the.
Speaker 2 (35:31):
Kids I still know. I still do my multiplication tables.
I know eleven times eleven is one hundred and twenty one.
Speaker 8 (35:39):
Yeah, yeah, you.
Speaker 2 (35:41):
Know what, Let me what is eleven? Let me make
sure I got to write that down now, just for
the fun of it. Eleven times eleven, Yeah it is
one twenty one? Right, Okay, I was good on that.
Speaker 8 (35:52):
Okay. The the how do you expect the kids to learn?
If they have a phone, they go to school to learn,
and if there's another kid sitting there beside them, he's
trying to learn something and the other kids on the phone,
how did you expect them to learn anything?
Speaker 2 (36:07):
I agree with I think it's distracting and and I'm
with you. But what my fear is, and I raised
it to Senator Seer, is that they'll try to do
you know, they love to refruit to these We're going
to do an omnibus bill here, which is going to
cover everything, every possibility. You know, the the companies, they're
not going to fight you on whether or not kids
(36:28):
have cell phones in school. They won't fight you on
that because that doesn't it doesn't they don't make any
money on that. But if all of a sudden, you're
throwing in liability issues and my kid committed suicide and
maybe he was on the cell phone too much during
the day or he was being harassed, Now at that
point you've got the lawyers coming in. The lawyer's going
to be saying whoa, whoa, whoa Wait a sec they say.
(36:49):
That's why I suggested to the Senator from the Cape
and the Islands, split the bill. Take the Take the
simple part that everyone agrees upon no kids should have
cell phones in school between when school starts and when
school ends. Bell the bell and get that passa. Then
go after them on liability issues separately.
Speaker 8 (37:09):
Yeah, when they if they want to bring your phone
to school, either keep in your locker room and keep
it locked up, or either bring it to school and
leave it in the principal's office. At the end of it,
then they'll give it back to you.
Speaker 2 (37:20):
But don't age they're going to. What they'll have to
do is say to these kids, you got to leave
it in the locker and you can't touch it because
you know what happen is if everybody gets in the
principal's office at three o'clock in the afternoon, you get
a couple of hundred kids try to find the right phones.
Kids would be walking around, where's my phone? No, that
would be a headache for the principle anywhere. All right, Agelo,
(37:43):
thank you. I knew you'd be with me on this one.
Thank you, my friend.
Speaker 8 (37:46):
You welcome there. You have a good reading. Thank you.
Speaker 2 (37:49):
All right, thanks, all right, we get back. We're going
to talk about a showdown between a couple of presidents,
the president of Columbia and the President of the United States.
Gotta tell you, Donald Trump won this one.
Speaker 6 (38:03):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (38:03):
If you're not hip to what happened over the weekend,
the President of Columbia flexed his muscles and then he
then he caved. Uh. So this is one you got
to give Donald Trump credit on We'll be back, We'll
open up the phone lines, we'll talk about the Columbia
president who he caved, you know, and I'm glad he
(38:26):
did trust me on that, back on Night's side, after
this
It's Night Side with Dan Ray on WBZY Coustin's new radio.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Thank you very much, Dan Walkins. We are going to
talk about cell phones in schools here in Massachusetts. It
has been a subject that we've talked about before. I
think most of you have a thought or an opinion
on it. But at this point, there have been some
communities that have taken some pretty serious actions, I guess,
(00:32):
including brockdon Fall, River, Mathune and Ipswich have implemented their
own cell phone bands. However, the come all of the
Massachusetts has not acted up until this point. However, there
is a movement afoot in joining us is one of
the members of the Massachusetts State State Senator Julian Seyr,
(00:53):
who represents Cape Cod and the Islands. Senator Seyr, Welcome
to Nightside, How are you night Good?
Speaker 3 (01:01):
Good to be with you again.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
Then this is one of those issues that you would
think the legislature could come to agreement on fairly easily.
Really not a Democratic or Republican issue. Why has it
taken so long? I know that there have been some
bills filed for this session, and you are I think
(01:26):
the Senate sponsor of at least one of these bills.
Why why have we not acted sooner than this? I
read some statistics over the weekend that suggest that that
our high school students are not doing as well in
the last couple of years as they did before the pandemic.
And we can attribute obviously a lot of that to
(01:46):
the pandemic. But has cell phone usage and the ability
of kids to have cell phones on them, in their hens,
in their pocket at school. Do you think he impacted
this as well?
Speaker 1 (01:59):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (01:59):
I mean, you know, look, I'm someone who you know,
grew up with you know, came of age of adulthood
with cell phones, with social media. But I'm really glad
right that I went through middle school and when went
through high school before the advent of social media and
before the advent of smartphone. You know, especially in college
when when when Facebook came out? And you know, the
(02:23):
junior when when when when the iPhone was invented and
first came out? And really, you know, I really believe
that my education and my social development were all the
better for not having a smartphone on me at all
times when I was in middle and in high school.
The distraction factor, the bullying factor, the anxiety factor, and
(02:46):
and so so like you said, I think we're trying
to get some you know, quick traction on this. This
is actually the first time, you know, I filed the
deslation on this in partnership with Attorney General Campbell and
Promisent of Pice in the House. And so, George, why
I think move quickly here?
Speaker 4 (03:03):
Uh?
Speaker 3 (03:04):
You know, really, I think schools are grappling with this.
You know, about seventy percent of teachers report cell phones
being a problem in their classrooms, especially in middle and
high school.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
And the more we just learn about the effects of
this technology, Uh, there's pretty significant mental health concerns. So
I think we're hoping to take take action. And that's why,
you know, I filed the bill for the first time. Uh,
you know, this session which just got underway.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
So let me ask you if, for example, let's take
a typical piece of legislation out there. Let's say that
there's some some legislation dealing with taxes. Well, you know
that there's going to be some some senators and representatives
who are going to be opposed, some are going to
be supportive of it. You're going to have corporations come in,
You're going to have you know, various lobbying groups come
(03:52):
in and what on just about any piece of legislation
that is up there. Very really do we get a
piece of legislation that you might think of as a
no brainer. I thought for a long time the whole
question of revenge pornography was a no brainer, and it
took more than a couple of sessions to get something
(04:13):
done on that. Who would be opposed at this point
other than some high school kids and middle school kids
would say, I don't want to give up my cell phone.
Why would this not almost get on a fast track
in both houses and onto.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
Well, what we're hoping to get again on a fast rek.
It's a good question. I think we do expect opposition,
certainly from social media companies. Right this bill. This bill
does two things. It has a basically a bell to
bell policy, right that really says, look, when you're in school,
no cell phone use, giving students the opportunity to engage
with our education unfettered by digital distraction. And then the
(04:51):
second piece of the bill is putting important standards for
social media companies so that we're holding these corporations accountable
for the safety and the mental health of the young
people who are using those products. I expect we'll see
opposition from those social media companies. We may see opposition
as well from from from cell phone companies and others.
(05:11):
You know, but I really think in this instance, right, let.
Speaker 2 (05:13):
Me ask you this Enator, you know more about this
than I do. Why not bifurcate those those aspects. I
agree with you that that there might be some pushback
whenever liability issues are presented, and the folks at Meta
and Instagram would say, hey, it's not our responsibility when
(05:34):
some kid uses the cell phone for the wrong purposes,
But why not just take take the chunk of it
that I think everyone will agree upon, and that is
that if you're going to school, you have a cell
phone pouch that you put your cell phone in and
your locker and you'll lock it up and you don't
see it, oh until it's time to go home. And
I know some of the argument is, well, what happens
(05:55):
if there's some sort of a collect catastrophe at the
school in this day and age, you know, a school shooter. Well,
I would think that probably at that point most parents
would hope that their child would be kept safe. And
that you know that that to me, it isn't a
(06:18):
serious objection, to be honest with you, because if my
child is in a school where there's a shooter around,
the last thing I want them to do is be
dialing the telephone and calling me and saying I'm okay,
because that could give away their location. If the shooter
just happened to be walking by, why not just bikeificate
that and keep it simple and just say, hey, you
(06:41):
go to school, go to public school in Massachusetts, you
turn either don't bring the phone to school, or when
you come in through the school you got to put
it in a pouch and and secure it for the
rest of the school day. Or am I being Pollyannish
when I.
Speaker 3 (06:54):
Asked that question, Well, I mean I think we have,
you know, twin challenges going on, right. It's it's not
just the device, right, and the technology, but what the
content and and and the interactions that are on that device.
And the more we know about how social media adversely
affects mental health. I mean everyone's mental health, right, but
(07:16):
but particularly for young people. I really believe these these
social media platforms, which who look are making a heck
of a lot of money off of all of us,
especially young people, that they have to, you know, have
common sense standards like age IC verification systems to protect minors,
default privacy settings so that you know we're minimizing harmful
(07:37):
engagement for young people, mechanisms to flag and wanted content. Right,
that's really a common sense and it's also a no brainer.
So you know, look, I'm really proud to have partnered
with the Attorney General and represented Pish and others, you know,
to put forward this common sensilitization. We're going to work
to refine it and and you know, move it as
quickly as we can. But even just the attention we've
(07:58):
gotten on this bill, I think speaks to the public's
desire and the real need for us to take action here.
Eight other states have passed Bell de Bell policies that include,
you know, these sort of restrictions and these stafeguards, and
I think it's really time that Massachusetts joined.
Speaker 2 (08:15):
Well, I agree with you, and I wish you all
the best on this. My only concern is having covered
the legislature as a TV reporter a long time ago
and followed the legislature as a talk show host and
understand how it works up there. That I think if
the cell phone companies go up and argue about liability issues,
(08:38):
that a lot of the members of the legislature might
be able to be persuaded to slow something down. But
just to save this group of high school students, freshman
and sophomore, juniors and seniors and middle school students, I'd
just let to see the bell developing passed immediately and
then take on the tougher issues. If they want to
(09:00):
fight you with the tougher issues, we'll get whatever support
you know you need on those. But I just I'm
afraid that and I think you probably know what I'm
saying that that we'll we'll be talking about this sometime
in late July, or rather late June with the legislative
the formal session going out, and then we go into
informal session beginning on August first, which anyone legislator can object.
(09:25):
So that's my concern is that that the perfect will
be the will be the enemy.
Speaker 3 (09:29):
Of the of the good on you know, yeah, I
think on Beacon Hill, right, there's there's there's sort of
two routes often right one is additional one where just
it takes a long long time to get something done.
But then there's the other instance right where we move
all these swiftly on something in part and response to
health risk and give an issue. You know, look, if
(09:50):
we've seen anything over the last you know, week or two,
we can't count on social media corporations to be looking
out for health and safety and the well being of
a young people's that's clear to me now more than ever.
I think the bell to bell policy as well as
really common sense and so just hoping that this one's
going to be in that sort of swifter category. Heck,
(10:13):
if we get this done by Junior July this year,
that'll be a record time. But I know you're talking
about the second year of the session in twenty twenty six,
but you know, really really eager to work on it.
I think the track record of getting things don Alice
Pie is a very respective member in the House, and
to have the support of the Attorney General here, I
think is hopefully a recipe for swift action on an
(10:33):
issue that we need.
Speaker 2 (10:35):
Yeah, well, best of luck with it, Thank you one.
This is one that I think everyone should agree on.
But do me a favor if you are able to
make significant progress on the whole ball of wax and
dealing with it as one piece of legislation that covers
everything the bell to bell as well as the issues
(10:57):
of liability and all of that. Let me know about
it and we'll support you on that. But at the
same time, I hope we're not talking about this six
months or a year from now and it's still has
in terms of the bell the bell, because I think
I think that it's very clear that that that distraction
in school. Hey, when you and I were in high school,
(11:17):
there are enough distractions anyway, we didn't need cell phones
to even further complicate matters. So yeah, keep us posted
on it.
Speaker 3 (11:29):
Yeah, I appreciate it, and uh all right, we'll tire
swist as we can. Thanks so much for having me.
Speaker 2 (11:35):
You're very welcome. State Senator Julian Syrah, Democrat who represents
Cape Cod and the Islands. Now, what I'd like to
hear I would like to hear from all of you
on this, uh it particularly if you're somebody who has
either students or grand children in school. Uh if you
are remember of a member of the teacher, a teacher
(11:57):
in high schools or or junior high schools, and I
suspect that it's also at this point bleeding down or
leaking down into elementary schools. What is the benefit at
all of a student who's in high school or in
junior high school or in elementary school. You get twelve grades,
(12:17):
you get preschool obviously in kindergarten, but it gets a
little serious after the first and second grade, so he
get about ten years between, you know, by time they
get out of the second grade and you've got to graduate. Okay,
And there's no justification in my opinion for anyone opposing
this bill. What the Senator said was that when it
(12:40):
gets into the other portions of the legislation dealing with
liability issues, yeah, the lawyers and the lobbyists are going
to come in and say, hey, wait a second, it's
a telephone. I mean, it's the same as the telephone
that people used in the nineteen thirties, forties, fifties, sixties, seventies,
and eighties. That there can be abuses. So jump on
(13:04):
board on this one because I think this is one
where we need to talk about it a little bit,
because it is a no brainer. But as soon as
the Senator talked about any of the complexities, get on
the books, what we can get on the books, we
are you know, the state where Horace Man founded public education. Well,
(13:28):
there's a lot of public education that's not going on
because the distractions of cell phone six one seven, two, five,
four ten thirty six one seven, nine three one ten thirty.
This is one of those issues that I do not
believe is a Democrat, Republican, conservative, liberal or any everyone
should be in favor of this. Bring a cell phone.
(13:49):
You want to have a cell phone on the school bus,
want to have a cell phone, walk into school, whatever, Fine,
when you get to school, it's got to be stowed,
and it's got to be turned off, and you don't
have access until you go to your locker at the
end of the day to leave the school. Simple as that.
And it doesn't get turned on until you're off the
school property, and it doesn't get it doesn't get it's
(14:11):
turned off as soon as you walk onto the school property.
I think it's simple call me and agree or disagree
six one seven, two four ten thirty six one seven
nine three one ten thirty. And those of you that
have classroom experience, obviously students, you were more than welcome
to call in and tell me either your positive stories
about cell phones or your negative stories. Again, nothing wrong
(14:32):
with cell phones, just like there's nothing wrong with automobiles,
nothing wrong with a lot of things except how they're
used when they're used. Back on Night's Side after.
Speaker 1 (14:40):
This, Now back to Dan ray Line from the Window
World Night Side Studios on WBZ News Radio.
Speaker 2 (14:49):
So there was a story in The Globe which prompted
this conversation, this issue tonight, this topic. We've talked about
it before. And there was a need and mom who
held a photograph of her daughter who was only eighteen
years old and who had died buried at a cemetery
(15:12):
in Newton. And the mom believes that her daughter, who died,
according to the Globe, from an accidental overdose of drugs
that have been laced with fentanyl, she acquired through a
deal as she met through social media. Now that's a
(15:33):
broader issue, okay, And it goes to the issue of
just the accessibility that young people have through their cell phones.
But I think that genie is out of the bottle
(15:55):
and I don't think that there's any way that it
can be put back in. The cell phones are out there,
computers are out there. Kids can reach and get access
to things that people your age and my age would
never ever know how to find. And our heart goes
(16:19):
out to the woman who was profiled in the Globe
in the last couple of days and the loss of
her daughter, and the just the expression on her face tells,
it tells the heartbreak that she must that she has
to have here for the daughter, who is who's who's
(16:41):
lost her life at the age of eighteen. But that's
that's the larger focus. And in talking to state senators here,
the larger focus was what do you do to legislatively
impact these cell phones in terms of their liability, and
which as understandable, okay, but and but that's going to
(17:07):
complicate things in my opinion on Beacon Hill. And you've
often heard the phrase never let the perfect the enemy
of the good. And they should simply pass a piece
of legislation that would say, hey, in Massachusetts public schools.
(17:31):
I don't know that they have the ability to legislate
in terms of private schools. Let's just focus on public schools,
whether it's elementary, middle which I think everybody knows is
sort of sixth, seventh, eighth or seventh eighth, ninth, and
high schools that when your child or your grandchild walks
(17:53):
onto that school property. At seven thirty in the morning,
the cell phone goes off, and certainly when they walk
in the door, the cell phone is put in some
sort of a safe location. They can put in their
locker as long as they don't access their locker later
on during the day or access to cell phone. They
can go back and forth to their locker, but the
(18:15):
cell phone has to be in a safe place. The
safest place is not to bring it to school. Okay,
but there are several school departments, public schools, districts Rocked
and Fall River, Methunea, and Ipswich have implemented their own
cell phone bands. There are eight states around the country California,
(18:36):
Big State, Florida, Big State, Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Ohio, South Carolina,
and Virginia. Some of those states are fairly democratic, some
of those states are pretty Republican. Some of those states
are pretty balanced. The bottom line is, I don't think
there should be any disagreement amongst anyone that the I
(19:00):
can't think of a legitimate argument. I can think of
a couple of the arguments, and if you want to
bring them up and argue them, that's fine. But I
think there should be a groundswell of support of people
urging the legislature here in Massachusetts to as Senator Seir
referred to it as to being any access, never mind usage,
(19:22):
just access to the cell phone bell de bell meaning
from the moment in the morning when the bell rings
until the moment of the afternoon when the bell rings.
It's as simple as that. Now, maybe this is not
a subject that interests you, but if it does, I
want to hear from you. And if you have an
experience as a teacher, if you find yourself trying to
(19:42):
teach a class and you realize that some of the
students are using their phone to either text message or
to listen to other conversations, there are ways in which
the kids today are much more intelligent and knowledgeable about
how all of this technology works. They are being short changed.
(20:04):
They have one chance at an education. Maybe the education
will take them on through high school, into college and
onto graduate school. Fine, but for many kids, the end
of formal education comes many students at graduation at the
age of eighteen. And I think that immeasurable harm is
being done to the education of students in Massachusetts. We are,
(20:27):
as they mentioned before, the state of Horace Man where
public education was founded, and we should be able to
take a very quick strong step legislatively House Senate Governor
saying no cell phone usage in school Bell de Belle,
that's what Senator Seir referred to it as. And and
(20:48):
don't even complicate the other issues. Deal with the other
issues later, same separate bill. Simple as that six one, seven, two, five,
four ten thirty six one seven, nine three one ten thirty.
Can any of you tell me an advantage? I just
think that this is one of those where everyone agrees,
but you're not courageous enough to pick off the phone
and call. And if you disagree with me on this
(21:10):
one and think that, oh yeah, won't my kid have
a cell phone? Fine, let me know why. I don't
understand it. Don't understand the argument. Back on Nightside after this.
Speaker 1 (21:20):
It's Nightside with Dan Ray on Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (21:25):
So we're talking about what I think of as a
no brainer. But sometimes what I think of as a
no brainer, people have pretty good arguments. Let's see what
people have to say. Going to start it off with
Steve and Cambridge. Steve to me, this is a no brainer.
I mean, why should kids have cell phones in school?
During the day when they're supposed to be learning.
Speaker 4 (21:46):
Dan, What I object to is the power that we
give the state government to control our lives in so
many ways. Sure enough, you know, taxes on cigarettes, seat belts,
so many things. I mean, I'm not saying they're all
bad or they're not good ideas, but I mean we are,
(22:11):
as American citizens, are supposed to be individual and be
able to make our decisions for ourselves, particularly adults. So
I you know, Dan, I walk through the streets of
Boston and Cambridge, and I get on the subways. It
seems like everyone is mesmerized by cell phones, not just
(22:33):
kids mesmerized all the time. What I would rather see is,
evidently you said that there are school districts that have
implemented strict cell phone rules.
Speaker 2 (22:49):
I think the Globe is reporting, and they have no
reason to believe that it's inaccurate. But the Globe is reporting.
There are about four different school systems around the state
have done that. The ones in question interesting group Brockton,
which is a school system that's in you know, real
urban school system, Fall River, Mathrowing, and Ipswich, which are
(23:10):
kind of more I don't know, they're None of those
are what you call your wealthiest of towns, but every
kid has a cell phone these days. My question is, Stave,
here's my question to you. We're talking about you and
I are taxed in large part to educate young people.
I mean, that's one of the responsibilities that we have.
(23:32):
We may not like it, but that's that's one of
the places that my tax dollars go that I accept
and understand. And if some kids in a classroom are
trying to learn and others are goofing around talking on
the cell phone, being distracting those kids, I would rather
(23:53):
say to kids, hey, look, let let's split it up.
Let's have classrooms where cell phones are used and kids
where cell phones aren't used. It seems to me it
has an adverse impact. It's one thing if I'm sitting
if I'm sitting on an MBTA car, If I'm sitting
on an MBT car and some knucklehead is next to
me screaming or talking wildly into a cell phone, I
can deal with that. I may say something and say, hey,
(24:15):
can you kind of keep your conversation down or whatever.
But if you're a kid in school and you're trying
to concentrate and there's some goofball in the classroom? Who's talking?
You know, sooac to his girlfriend in the back? Hey,
where you want to go Friday night? Debbie? What would
you like to go?
Speaker 4 (24:33):
Dan? Dan? I? You know, I one hundred percent agree
with you. I think this should be up to the
school districts and the principles. Why does it have to
come from the state. Everything has to come to the state,
you know, let's limit the number.
Speaker 2 (24:47):
Can I make an argument? Can I make an argument
to you? My argument to you, counselor would be The
reason I think this has to come from the state
is that I don't don't trust all the school superintendents
to do the right thing. And I think that if
the school superintendents they all get you know, money, money
(25:09):
from the state to run their school systems. It's not
as if each school system is run basically upon just
the money. They all get money for school systems. And
I just think that take give the give the the
superintendent who doesn't have a backbone and excuse to say, oh,
I don't have a choice. If it was up to me,
(25:30):
I'd let the kids do what they want. But but
I have to I have to compose this because this
is what the state says.
Speaker 4 (25:36):
Yeah, well, Dan, I think I think we're just ceding
too much power to the state. And I think the
principles the you know, parents are involved in the schools,
uh to some extent, PTA associations, you know, parents, teachers associations.
I think. I mean, I agree with you, it's a
no brainer. I don't think the kids should have bones
(25:58):
in the schools at all. I just don't want to
see it going to the state.
Speaker 2 (26:03):
We disagree on the implementation. I get it. I understand
the point you're making. It's a philosophical point. But I
want to make sure it gets done, and I want
to make sure it gets done for every kid who's
serious about going to school. Look, if you're a goofball,
you want to sit in the back of the room
and and pass notes to your buddies and and and
ignore what the teachers are saying. I can't prevent you
(26:24):
from doing that. You know, have ad it, and you know,
and deal with the consequences when when you're twenty five
and unemployed or twenty two in on them and you're.
Speaker 4 (26:36):
Okay, Dan, Dan, I'll give you a pass on this one.
Speaker 2 (26:39):
Okay, Later, good night, Steve, and I generally are right
on point with each other. They're going to go next
to Alice in Beverly. Hey Alice, how are you tonight?
Speaker 5 (26:51):
Oh good, I've been a school nurse for a number
of years.
Speaker 6 (26:55):
Oh thank you for calling it.
Speaker 5 (26:57):
I think it is a no brainer. And also some
of the things that you talked about, like I think
some kids, the kids would come into my nurse's office.
I worked in public schools, in private schools, and kids
would ask if they could use the telephones call their
parents for something in particular, you know, and as opposed
(27:18):
to using their cell phone when I was in public school,
and that some of the things that they pulled that
they said, something happened at home and I need to
get dismissed, and they would make up these stories. I mean,
some kids don't like school, they don't want to be there,
and they would do anything they can to get out
(27:39):
of it. In no days, Like just the other day,
my friend said that her daughter was seemed to be
coming down with something, and of course I disagreed with
her because she said she wanted to let her come
home and take a nap because she was playing hockey
for the school hockey team. But what she did, but
(28:00):
she did. She didn't have to call. She wasn't calling
her daughter on her cell phone. She called the principal.
Now the principal could have said, no, I'm not dismissing her,
so she can play hockey. But you go through the
principle and the same thing. It's like just like, I mean,
(28:20):
I'm older than you. But you know, we got by
with doing that. And that guy that said to me,
the state's got too much power. Well, the state has
rules and say we have to go to school one
hundred and eighty days. Why don't we just throw all
the rules out and just say do whatever you want.
But there's the state can't say anything. You want an
(28:41):
educated population, Why the heck do you need to be
talking on a cell phone? And when she's doing a podcast,
the whole class is doing.
Speaker 2 (28:53):
You know, I agree with you. I mean you and
I are on the same page. The other thing, too,
is I've heard some parents say, well, if there's ever
some sort of a tragedy in the school, you know,
like a school shooting, I want to know my child
is safe. The last thing you want your child to
do if there's a school shooting going on, and you
want that kid to concentrate on hunkering down, making sure
(29:17):
that they're behind some desks and they have some shelter,
and they keep us quietly.
Speaker 5 (29:22):
What the people are telling them to do, because the
grills and you just want some hysterical mother saying, oh,
get out of there, and get out of there, and
then the teachers saying, everybody, I've got a list here
for all the kids. You know, they don't say shut up,
but it's like, quiet, get in line, do what I
tell you. I know what to do to keep you safe.
Speaker 2 (29:44):
Well, the other thing, the other thing, too, is the
kid in the cell phone is going to you know,
every the school is quiet, there's there's some guy walking
around with a gun, and you know he's going to
be dialing the cell phone. I'm okay, I'm okay, Yeah,
don't worry about it. Everything's fine. Well, if the guy
(30:06):
walking by the door he is and realizes the people
in that room, he may decide to go in the room.
And and that's you do not want your kid calling
on a cell phone. You know, you want your kid
to be quiet, as you said, follow the rules that
the teachers or the school officials you know, supply, and
it hunkered down and be as quiet as you can
(30:27):
under the show.
Speaker 5 (30:28):
I also say dan because I had some parents who
thought I was like too strict. They didn't want the
kids to have immunizations. It's a straight rule, you know.
And they thought that I was the principal actually thought
I was picking on them because I was asking them
to have the immunizations before they came into the school.
(30:49):
I mean, he ended up leaving and taking a lucrative
job with the Force.
Speaker 2 (30:54):
Well, you know what's amazing, And I don't open it
this can of worms. But I agree with you. My
kids got all the ammunizations. I get all the immunizations.
I got my COVID shot, I get my flu shot.
I believe I wasn't.
Speaker 5 (31:05):
I didn't need to get off on that.
Speaker 2 (31:06):
But I just no, no, no, but what But what
I'm saying is at the same time, what we're now
saying is all these kids who have come across the border,
we have no idea what their immunization records are. We
have no idea, and and we're moving them into the
into the.
Speaker 5 (31:20):
Don't come to school at the public school if you
don't agree.
Speaker 2 (31:24):
No, but no, but no, Alice, you're not here on
what I'm saying. What I'm saying is we're we're saying
to the to the to the parents of of of kids,
school school kids who they know, get your shots, get
your shots. But they're bringing in kids from halfway around
the world. You have no idea what the immunizations that
had or they haven't had, and they're mixing with the
(31:45):
population and you have you are seeing some some some
some diseases that we thought we were eradicated coming back.
There may be a relation. Alice got to run because
I pass my break. Thanks for getting us going here,
and I appreciate you your work as a school nurse.
Thank you so much. Okay, all right, we'll take a break,
coming right back on Nightside, and I would mention to
(32:07):
you that we're going to change topics at the top
of the hour, So Angelo and Stella, you're all set.
We'll be back on Nightside right after this.
Speaker 1 (32:14):
Now back to Dan Ray live from the Window World
Nightside Studios on WBZ News Radio.
Speaker 2 (32:21):
I'm gonna go to Stellar, then we're gonna go to Angelo.
Let's go to Stella First Stellar in Manchester, Massachusetts. Hey, Stella, welcome,
How are you tonight?
Speaker 7 (32:30):
I am well thank you, Dan, So Dan, I agree,
no brainer, ring to ring, no cell.
Speaker 2 (32:36):
Phone, Yeah, bell, the bell, ring, the ring, whatever you
want to call it. I'm with you. I'm afraid and
I don't know if if you heard my interview with
State Senator Julian Seer. What my concern is that they
will try to put a bill together that will be
so complicated that it will it will languish up. Let's
(33:00):
just do the first one, bell to bell, no cell
phone usage. Then you start talking about the liability of
the cell phones because of the cell phone companies, because
they're going to bring in their lawyers and they're going
to say, hey, there's a problem with this, there's a
problem with that. That's what I think. I'm afraid that
they will end up the legislature will end up with nothing.
Speaker 7 (33:21):
Ah well, first of all, call me Nai, but I
think if we go to this, it will be not
only helpful in the classroom, but just think about it.
They can talk to each other on their free time,
during their free time, their lunchtime. They're not going to
have those cell phones to keep them occupied, and that
(33:44):
could make a little bit of a change for our
young people.
Speaker 2 (33:48):
And I think no, and I think it would be
a change for the better. It's what's called human interaction.
It's learning how to socialize properly. Look, we all go.
I use a cell phone. I have a smartphone because
it's part of my job. When I'm done professionally as
a broadcaster, the cell phone, I'll keep the numbers of
people who are friends of mine and all of that,
(34:10):
but everything else will go away, because it's just it's
a time killer. And I kind of imagine being a
student and trying to study in the classroom where there's
two or three people in the back of the classroom
talking to you under their front, under their breath, with
covering up their phones, and so the teacher doesn't see them.
You know, Hey, what are we going to do Friday night?
(34:30):
You know, come on, That's what I think.
Speaker 6 (34:32):
Well, not all of that. The temptation you have it
and then you want to look at it. That's I mean,
it just makes sense. So as much as I don't
want government dictating what we do, in this case, I
definitely think no cell phone and sell. Okay, you have
(34:53):
another caller and the break coming out.
Speaker 2 (34:56):
Thank you, thanks very much, you keep calling the show.
Okay you good night. Angelo and Newton. Angela, you're gonna
wrap the hour for us. I'm suspecting you agree with me, Angela,
what do you say?
Speaker 8 (35:07):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (35:08):
I do?
Speaker 1 (35:08):
Dan.
Speaker 8 (35:09):
Did you ever have a phone when you went to school?
Did I have have a hope, have a phone I
went to school, No, we even.
Speaker 2 (35:16):
I don't think we even had pencils and paper when
I went to school, Noly Knning.
Speaker 8 (35:21):
Yeah, did you ever take a calculator or a computer
to school?
Speaker 2 (35:26):
No?
Speaker 8 (35:26):
You never had. You have to today? Then? Well today, the.
Speaker 2 (35:31):
Kids I still know. I still do my multiplication tables.
I know eleven times eleven is one hundred and twenty one.
Speaker 8 (35:39):
Yeah, yeah, you.
Speaker 2 (35:41):
Know what, Let me what is eleven? Let me make
sure I got to write that down now, just for
the fun of it. Eleven times eleven, Yeah it is
one twenty one? Right, Okay, I was good on that.
Speaker 8 (35:52):
Okay. The the how do you expect the kids to learn?
If they have a phone, they go to school to learn,
and if there's another kid sitting there beside them, he's
trying to learn something and the other kids on the phone,
how did you expect them to learn anything?
Speaker 2 (36:07):
I agree with I think it's distracting and and I'm
with you. But what my fear is, and I raised
it to Senator Seer, is that they'll try to do
you know, they love to refruit to these We're going
to do an omnibus bill here, which is going to
cover everything, every possibility. You know, the the companies, they're
not going to fight you on whether or not kids
(36:28):
have cell phones in school. They won't fight you on
that because that doesn't it doesn't they don't make any
money on that. But if all of a sudden, you're
throwing in liability issues and my kid committed suicide and
maybe he was on the cell phone too much during
the day or he was being harassed, Now at that
point you've got the lawyers coming in. The lawyer's going
to be saying whoa, whoa, whoa Wait a sec they say.
(36:49):
That's why I suggested to the Senator from the Cape
and the Islands, split the bill. Take the Take the
simple part that everyone agrees upon no kids should have
cell phones in school between when school starts and when
school ends. Bell the bell and get that passa. Then
go after them on liability issues separately.
Speaker 8 (37:09):
Yeah, when they if they want to bring your phone
to school, either keep in your locker room and keep
it locked up, or either bring it to school and
leave it in the principal's office. At the end of it,
then they'll give it back to you.
Speaker 2 (37:20):
But don't age they're going to. What they'll have to
do is say to these kids, you got to leave
it in the locker and you can't touch it because
you know what happen is if everybody gets in the
principal's office at three o'clock in the afternoon, you get
a couple of hundred kids try to find the right phones.
Kids would be walking around, where's my phone? No, that
would be a headache for the principle anywhere. All right, Agelo,
(37:43):
thank you. I knew you'd be with me on this one.
Thank you, my friend.
Speaker 8 (37:46):
You welcome there. You have a good reading. Thank you.
Speaker 2 (37:49):
All right, thanks, all right, we get back. We're going
to talk about a showdown between a couple of presidents,
the president of Columbia and the President of the United States.
Gotta tell you, Donald Trump won this one.
Speaker 6 (38:03):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (38:03):
If you're not hip to what happened over the weekend,
the President of Columbia flexed his muscles and then he
then he caved. Uh. So this is one you got
to give Donald Trump credit on We'll be back, We'll
open up the phone lines, we'll talk about the Columbia
president who he caved, you know, and I'm glad he
(38:26):
did trust me on that, back on Night's side, after
this
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