By Steven Flagg
Guest Column
My wife and I raised our millennial children during a different time.
Back then, the biggest battles we faced were around too much TV and the early days of instant messaging. Phones were still attached to walls although they were increasingly cordless. Social media was not even a word yet.
Today, parents are dealing with a digital world on steroids—apps, games, group chats and endless social media with those all-knowing algorithms designed to keep our kids glued to their screens. And they work. Parents, you know this from personal experience: how often do you find it hard to put your own phone down?
Let us be honest: saying no to a smartphone today feels almost impossible. Every child has one. And every parent has come to rely on that line of connection—whether it is a quick text to say “pick-up is around back” or just the peace of mind that comes from knowing we could reach our child if something went wrong.
So, I understand the gut reaction when you hear that TPS and schools across the state are locking up student phones at the start of the day and keeping them sealed until dismissal. For many parents, this feels like they are losing something important. Perhaps this is a moment where we need to look not just at what we lose—but what our kids stand to gain.
Why it is Happening.
This policy is not unique to Toledo—it is now required across Ohio. A new state law says schools must limit student phone use during classroom hours. TPS has decided to take this a step further by implementing Yondr pouches—secure sleeves that students place their phones in at the start of the day. They stay locked until school is out unless there is a medical or special education need.
Yes, it is a big change. But it is not being done lightly.
The Case for Change
Phones are not just distractions, they have become a constant companion, and not always a healthy one. We have all seen it: students scrolling under desks, checking notifications between classes, watching TikToks in the bathroom, texting during a lesson.
But it is not just that they are missing a few minutes of instruction. Research and experience both show that constant phone use erodes focus, increases anxiety, and contributes to social isolation. I recently heard a school principal state, “It’s not just about academics—phones are getting in the way of kids learning how to be around each other.”
TPS is not the first district to try this. Schools across the country that have limited or locked phones report fewer fights, fewer discipline issues, more face-to-face conversations, and higher student engagement. Some even see grade bumps. Teachers say they spend less time policing and more time teaching. In short: students are present again.
What Parents Worry About—and What TPS Has Considered
Still, I get it. As a parent, your first question might be: “But what if there’s an emergency?”
TPS has put protocols in place to ensure parents can always reach their children through the school. In the event of a real emergency—like a lockdown—schools have rapid notification systems in place. Office staff are trained to connect parents and students if the need is legitimate and time sensitive.
The fear of not being able to text your child in a crisis is real. But here is something to remember when there is a real emergency, phones often cause more confusion, not less. They spread rumors, mislead, and could clog communication lines. And in too many cases across America, they have created unnecessary panic.
TPS is trying to make sure every student can focus, learn, and feel calm—and they need our help.
James Gant, TPS Deputy Superintendent, told me, “We are trying hard to make the change as painless as possible. Still, this is new, and we want parents to attend school meetings, ask questions, make suggestions, and hopefully support us in a change that while it is mandated still makes a lot of academic sense.”
What Our Kids Stand to Gain
Teachers where cell phones have been removed from the classroom see the difference when phones are out of sight. Students look up. They talk to each other. They pay attention. And when the school day ends, the phones come back—but the brain has had six or seven hours of breathing room. Time to think. Time to build friendships. Time to grow.
We all want our children to succeed. And while phones have their place, the classroom is not it.
This isn’t about punishing students or controlling families. It’s about giving students the chance to learn without competing with an algorithm. It is about giving teachers the space to teach. And it is about helping parents—yes, all of us—let go of the illusion that more digital connection means better communication.
A Final Thought
This change will not be easy. There will be pushback. Some kids will resist. Some parents will worry. But I believe we will look back on this as a turning point, a moment when we decided to take back our schools from the digital noise and give our kids the gift of being present again.
Because what we lose—a few texts during the day—is nothing compared to what we can gain: students who are more focused, more grounded, and more connected to the world right in front of them.
Your child is important to your family’s legacy and, with declining birthrates, the future of America. Every child should have a learning environment where they are focused on classroom success, and we have an obligation to see that it happens.