Cellphones seem to be causing a distraction in Lightridge classes. Earlier this year, Principal Ryan Hitchman and Lightridge administration enacted a policy banning cellphones during instructional time.

Hitchman said the policy “applies to staff members as well, as staff members serve as role models for our students.”

The idea for the policy came  primarily from parents. During the biweekly meetings parents have with the principal, multiple parents complained about their children texting them throughout the school day.

 According to Hitchman, the policy is also a counteractive measure to uphold the honor code since “students are finding new ways to cheat.”

 Disobeying the policy results in the student being written up for either insubordination or defiance. 

“It is not the cellphone,” said Hitchman. “It’s the student’s actions that could lead to disciplinary action.”

The Loudoun County School Board is currently considering enacting a county wide cellphone policy.

 “This would be much more strict than what we have here at Lightridge High School,” said Hitchman, “I would much rather us here at Lightridge come up with a policy that we can all agree with rather than have our school board say no cellphones at any time.”

While it is “a very small percentage of the school population that disobeys,” according to Hichman,  the lack of maturity in underclassmen during classes has caused concern for Lightridge staff. The cellphone policy does not apply in lunch and study halls because teachers advocated for students to be allowed to use their phones at this time.  Walking in the hallways with phones is not a major concern as long as it doesn’t create an unsafe environment

The policy also applies to any non-school sanctioned technology that can be perceived as a distraction during instructional time.

Although the policy has received no backlash, Hitchman anticipates defiance.

 “We are not saying students can’t have a cellphone. We are not saying students cannot use a cellphone,” said Dr. Hitchman, paraphrasing the movie “Tombstone.” “All we are saying is that students cannot use a cellphone without teacher permission.” 

Reaction to the cellphone policy seems to have evoked a mixed reaction among students.   Check out our Student on the Street interviews to see what the students have to say.