Recently, a $158,000 anonymous donation was made towards Alexandria City Public Schools for the sole purpose of phone restriction in Alexandria City High School. This decision was made unanimously without discussion.

Not only will resourceful students easily find ways around this, but it also causes issues for students who do not use their phones throughout the school day. Lines to enter the building are already long enough, and adding phone pouch checks or locks will only exacerbate this problem. There are also major concerns about the safety implications of these phone pouches. In cases of emergency, students would not be able to reach their loved ones if their phones are locked away.

Additionally, multiple studies have found that phone pouches do not actually improve test scores or student well-being, and resulted in an onslaught of disciplinary action required in the first year of adoption. 

Also, it is important to note that the excess time used to lock and unlock the pouches is not just a burden on the students. Every minute a teacher spends enforcing these rules is a minute not spent teaching. Same for counselors, administrators, and security staff.

You may think that it doesn't matter, the school board already has the money. That's not the whole picture. With a school of around 4500, and an average price of 25-30 dollars per pouch, thats $112,500 to 135,000 just for the first rollout. Also, the average school needs to replace 15-25 percent of their pouches yearly, adding 20-30 thousand dollars of expenses yearly, coming out of taxpayer money. And no, that's not it. With a school of this size there would be lines of 5 to 10 minutes every day at the end of the day, assuming propper supervision and management. this management couldn't be acchieved without either overloading already thinly stretched employees, or hiring extra staff, and paying just one additional staff member over the course of a school year adds up quickly. Overall, these costs would end up exeeding the $158,000 donation significantly, and cost upwards of $50,000 per year just to use, all at a time when ACPS is making budget cuts to student programs.

I am not alone in my concerns, and many students and parents feel the same. These funds could be much better allocated to student programs that could actually increase test scores or improve student health, such as mental health resources or academic support.  

What to do:

Please sign to help our cause!

Students, Parents and Teachers, please reach out to the school board, student representatives, or principals. When you sign you are just a number, but a simple email can change their minds.

Share this petition with family and friends, especially your parents. Every signature makes a difference, and you can help.

*Please note that this is not a petition against the state level phone ban, but the district push for phone pouches, such as those made by Yondr™

**When you sign, the platform will ask you for money. Do not donate anything, it does not go towards the cause or anyone behind it.