Educators and stakeholders are dialing in on a hot-button issue: Student cellphone use on campus.

From fears of academic cheating and cyberbullying to the need for fast emergency communication, current cellphone policy for public schools has some saying it might be time for an update, whether it’s a simple tune-up or a full-on disconnection.

At Tiyan High School, Assistant Principal Joel Punzalan is seemingly ready to hang up on cellphones in schools. 

“I would love to know the states that are completely banning it because I think if we are going to ban it, we will ban it completely. No cellphones whatsoever, for the whole district, and we’re just going to have to take it from the parents when they come in,” said Punzalan. 

His comments ring out as more states across the u.s. roll out district-wide cellphone bans or restrictions.

But here at home, current policy from the Guam Education Board allows GDOE students to use their devices but only if it’s part of a teacher’s lesson plan or for specific student needs. 

Otherwise, phones are expected to be turned off. 

However, Chris Anderson, Student Support Administrator with GDOE, says the policy doesn’t get too deep into the fine print.

“We don’t get into the weeds in the operating procedure to guide teachers in terms of how they’re supposed to ensure that the phones are turned off. We don’t prescribe that students have to have phones in a backpack or in some kind of cubby hole,” said Anderson. 

He says campuses have created their protocols to manage cellphone use on a school level, some stricter than others.

At Oceanview Middle School, the signal is clear: No cellphone use allowed. Not even during breaks or lunch. Assistant Principal Rose Castro says even having a phone in your pocket is a no-go. 

“There’s no need for the phone. We've already placed enough laptop carts in the classroom. So, there's no reason for cellphones to be used in the classroom either,” said Castro. 

But not everyone shares the same view on the matter.  

For GDOE middle school teacher Madrid Borja, she says devices can be used as a helpful tool in the classroom and can even offer a much-needed lifeline for some students. 

“During non-instructional time, I do see during lunchtime a lot of students who are maybe more introverted, or it’s sad to say, but do not maybe have friends or a lot of friends. So during that time, I do observe a lot of students who use their phones to play games, or listen to music, and maybe help them get through that time or lunch periods, or if they have certain anxieties,” said Borja. 

Meanwhile, Peter Alexcis Ada, Chair of the Safe and Healthy Schools Committee, says work is underway to upgrade the current policy to something more current.