Families & the Community From Our Research Center

What Educators Have to Say About Parents Texting and Calling Their Kids During School

By Kevin Bushweller — September 30, 2024 1 min read
Photograph of a hand holding a cellphone showing text messages from "mom" with "Did you remember to take your lunch today?" and "Don't forget you have music lessons after school." The background is a blurred open book.
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

The movement to restrict student cellphone use in schools gathered even more momentum when the California governor signed a law Sept. 23 that will require all public schools to develop and adopt cellphone policies. California—home to the nation’s largest population of K-12 students—is the fifth state to pass a law requiring districts to adopt policies that will limit cellphones in schools, according to Education Week’s cellphone policy tracker.

Growing frustration among teachers—as well as evolving research linking the overuse of cellphones to mental health and learning problems—is fueling much of this policy movement. Many teachers are struggling to keep kids focused on schoolwork rather than the notifications and content they are viewing on their phones.

That frustration was evident in the open-ended responses of teachers, principals, and district leaders to a recent EdWeek Research Center survey. One of their biggest frustrations centers on parents, many of whom feel the need to be in constant contact with their children, often sending their kids questions or reminders during class time. Parents also cite safety concerns as a reason for their kids to have access to their devices during the school day. That puts the child in an awkward position, not knowing whether to ignore a parent or disobey a teacher.

Following are survey responses from educators that illustrate the frustration with cellphone use by students and their parents during school hours as well as the difficulties of putting in place cellphone policies that work.

The responses have been edited for length and clarity and are presented in the alphabetical order of the states they came from.

Many parents regularly text their children during school hours

   The use of students' smartphones is out of control, and they struggle to put them away as instructed. Parents text (and sometimes call) their students at times they know their child is in school/class and this is disruptive to the learning environment. At lunch, the school cafeteria is full of middle school students fully engrossed in activities on their phone rather than engaging in conversation or activities with peers. The phone obsession of this generation makes me sad for them.

—Middle School Teacher (special education) | Arizona

   While our school has a policy that student phones must be turned off and put away during the school day, we regularly have students’ phones make noises (meaning they are not off) and most often when students get the phones out to turn them off, the notifications are from a call or text from a parent.

—Middle School Teacher (math/computer science/data science) | Arkansas

   We need parents to stop interacting with their children throughout the day on their phones. It is a distraction to everyone.

—District Administrator | Illinois

   We don't allow cellphones in the classroom. However, with smartwatches, students are still able to receive text messages during class periods. This creates distraction for them during instruction.

—High School Principal | Iowa

   While smartphones offer numerous benefits, their presence in schools has undoubtedly introduced challenges to maintaining a conducive learning environment. Implementing effective policies and strategies to mitigate these distractions is crucial in ensuring that students can fully engage with their education.

—High School Teacher (special education) | Kansas

Students get argumentative when asked to put their cellphones away

   Students who think that they are sneaky and keep their phone in their pockets often get texts from family members during class and become argumentative when asked to put the phone in their lockers. Students argue that they need to be able to be in contact with their family because they need to know about car rider status, sports activities, or other activities after school. Students argue that their parents need to get hold of them during the day to keep up with the status of day-to-day activities. Parents feel that they can make the decisions about technology and their student's use of the technology throughout the day, even if it means being a disruption to the class.

—Middle School Teacher (English/language arts/literacy/reading) | Kentucky

   Cellphones are one of the biggest issues in schools. They have taken over and our kids struggle to function without them. This has led to far more issues, and it is a fight every day. The parents do little to support us.

—District Administrator | Michigan

   We had a parent call the counseling office as a result of her daughter not responding to her text messages in class. The parent expected us to call her daughter to the phone to talk to her about the messages her mother was receiving on her phone.

—District Administrator (student services) | New Jersey

   Our students must keep their cellphones in their lockers. Despite this school rule, some parents INSIST students keep their phones with them, telling them it is OK to break school rules.

—Middle School Teacher (English/language arts/literacy/reading) | New Jersey

   Parents needing to be in constant communication with their child is a problem.

—Principal | New York

Smartwatches are a growing nuisance for schools

   I have a student with an IEP for anxiety whose mother texts him via an Apple Watch several times a day. He wants to call her back every time. This distracts him from learning whether he is allowed to call her back or not.

—Middle School Teacher (special education) | New York

See also

Student is working in a school notebook with a pen. He has a smart watch on his wrist.
Forty percent of educators think smartwatches pose a behavioral or disciplinary challenge, new research shows.
galitskaya/iStock/Getty

   We don't allow cellphones during the school day, and parents are mad about it. The parents throw a total fit when we confiscate a phone because a kid spent 10 minutes of class time texting the parent from the bathroom.

—Middle School Principal | Ohio

   We have a no-phone policy during class time. It is frequently that we have students with phones out using the excuse that a parent is texting them during class. This has been difficult to monitor.

—Middle School Teacher (special education) | Oklahoma

   Parents will regularly call the school concerned their child is not answering a message sent via phone even though they know their child is not to be using their phone during the school day unless they ask.

—Superintendent | South Dakota

   While cellphones can be a useful tool for students to use, if they are in a 1-1 technology setting, there is absolutely no need for them to have their phone. Parents not understanding the impact of their communication during school hours is disrespectful and perpetuates that disrespect in their student.

—High School Teacher | Tennessee

   I went to tell a student that her early dismissal was cancelled. … She already knew because mom had texted her on her watch. This is not allowed in our elementary school.

—Elementary School Teacher (math/computer science/data science) | Texas

Students stop learning when they get texts or calls from parents during class time

   Phones are a HUGE problem in the classroom. Even with district policies prohibiting them, they are still everywhere.

—High School Teacher (math/computer science/data science) | Texas

   Our campus has set in place a no-cellphone policy in which students cannot have their cellphones out at any time during the school day. I have had parents text or call their students during school, and sometimes the student will answer and I will tell the student to hang up, and their response is, "But it is my mom or dad and I have to talk to them." My response is hang up and give me your phone and the student refuses.

—Middle School Teacher (science) | Texas

   Students stop learning because their parents have called them during class.

—High School Teacher (math/computer science/data science) | Utah

   The elimination of phones in the high school setting has been impossible, despite an effort to promote 'off and away all day.'

—District Administrator (special education) | Virginia

   Cellphone use has actually been better this school year. Both high schools implemented rules that have impacted distractions/limiting them.

—District Administrator (curriculum and/or instruction) | Virginia

   Students are allowed to keep their cellphones at this school. There has never been a bigger hindrance to instruction. If you attempt to take phones from students, their parents get involved and make an issue of their child not having their phone available at all times. No matter how much you emphasize not having your phone out during class, I spend a good bit of time trying to wrangle students into putting phones away. The majority of the time when I do ask that the phones be put away, I get an answer of, 'but I am texting my mom;' It is a no-win situation and I feel education overall at this school suffers greatly because of cellphones.

—High School Teacher (math/computer science/data science) | West Virginia

   Our school doesn't allow students to have their cellphones with them during the day so we don't have a lot of problems with them in the classroom.

—Middle School Teacher (English/language arts/literacy/reading) | Wisconsin

education week logo subbrand logo RC RGB

Data analysis for this article was provided by the EdWeek Research Center. Learn more about the center’s work.

Related Tags:

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Reading & Literacy Webinar
(Re)Focus on Dyslexia: Moving Beyond Diagnosis & Toward Transformation
Move beyond dyslexia diagnoses & focus on effective literacy instruction for ALL students. Join us to learn research-based strategies that benefit learners in PreK-8.
Content provided by EPS Learning
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
School Climate & Safety Webinar
How to Use Data to Combat Bullying and Enhance School Safety
Join our webinar to learn how data can help identify bullying, implement effective interventions, & foster student well-being.
Content provided by Panorama Education
Classroom Technology Live Online Discussion A Seat at the Table: Is AI Out to Take Your Job or Help You Do It Better?
With all of the uncertainty K-12 educators have around what AI means might mean for the future, how can the field best prepare young people for an AI-powered future?

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Families & the Community School Attendance Suffers as Parent Attitudes Shift
Parents are more relaxed about attendance than before the pandemic, district leaders said.
4 min read
One person walking down stairs in motion effect photography inside building.
iStock / Getty Images Plus
Families & the Community Parents Call Chronic Absenteeism a Problem, But Most Can't Define It
A new poll sheds light on parents' views on chronic absenteeism and acceptable reasons to miss school.
3 min read
Empty desks within a classroom
iStock/Getty Images Plus
Families & the Community What Happens to the Lost-and-Found Mound at the End of the Year?
Most schools deal with lost-and-found piles as the school year ends. Some work with outside partners to recycle items for students in need.
5 min read
Dark gray laundry basket full of childrens' items with a white sign that reads "Lost Property"
iStock/Getty
Families & the Community Opinion What Student Impacted You Most as a Young Teacher?
Paying attention to students and their families can provide some of the most valuable lessons to teachers.
2 min read
Mike Nelson reads to his students.
Mike Nelson reads to his students.
Mike Nelson