LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Clark County School District middle and high school students will be required to put their phone in a pouch during classes. It's a school district decision that is stirring up controversy across our valley.
The pouch requirement kicks off with the new school year in August for all CCSD middle and high schools. However, some are already rolling it out.
"They're here to study, not to make appointments or not to chit-chat with their friends when they're there today," said Raul, whose grandson is a Green Valley High School student.
"I need some kind of peace of mind when my son is not with me," said Maggie Carrillo, a mom of a Green Valley High School student. "I need to have some sort of communication with my child and that's just not going to happen."
Some Green Valley High School parents and grandparents are split on the new pouches. Students tell Channel 13 they'll start using the pouch at Green Valley on Monday.
Here's how they work.
The Clark County School District says the pouches cannot be locked but they will be able to block the signal, meaning while the phone is in the pouch a student cannot send or receive messages.
These pouches will be new across the district. However, the pouches have been used at schools nationwide for several years.
Some students say that's unacceptable.
"Signal-blocking is something I find is crazy. Recently, my brother got into a car crash, the other day. My mom had to contact me, telling me that. I would've been completely in the dark if I had signal-blocking on my phone," Green Valley High School sophomore Emily Pacheco told me.
CCSD tells Channel 13 the phone pouches will be in classrooms and students can access them in case of emergencies. In a statement to Channel 13 CCSD says in part:
"These new devices prevent and reduce distractions in the classroom, allowing for a productive learning environment and increasing student focus on instruction."
"It's not fair for the teachers who try to teach students and you're not paying attention to what they're saying," Raul said.
Starting in August, all CCSD middle and high schools will enforce the new phone restrictions. One mother says she won't stand for it.
"I will absolutely fight it and no, my son will not put his phone in any kind of pouch," Carrillo said.
The district says it is in the process of contacting all parents and students with more information about the pouches.
