Lamont, Tong visit pilot program to keep phones out of classrooms

For many kids these days, cellphones are a constant companion, including at school, but Gov. Ned Lamont wants to change that.

One Connecticut middle school has launched a pilot program to keep the phones out of the classroom.

Gov. Ned Lamont and state Attorney General William Tong visited the Illing Middle School in Manchester on Tuesday to highlight the success of the program that has removed the ubiquitous distraction for seventh and eighth graders.

The phones are kept in special, locked pouches all day long, and the students keep the pouches with them.

“If you were to walk around the building, you would not see a phone in this place — not in the classrooms, not in the cafeteria, not in the hallways,” said Matthew Geary, the Manchester schools superintendent. “Probably more than in any other space you walk to, the kids’ heads are up as they are walking by.”

Lamont brought attention to the issue last month when he mentioned it during his State of the State address to a joint session of the General Assembly on opening day of the 2024 legislative session.

“We will be sending out guidance to your school board — have your younger students leave their smartphones at home or drop them in a Yondr pouch at the start of every school day,” Lamont said during the State of the State address.

On Tuesday, Lamont and Tong saw the Yondr pouches in action as students had them at the middle school that has been conducting the pilot program.

“How has the atmosphere changed in the last two months?” Lamont asked as he sat in a classroom with students in front of him.

“We have kids that are more engaged, as reported by our staff,” the superintendent responded. “There is a certain addiction. Definitely an adjustment period. We’re looking forward to focusing on learning. … Way less social media chatter during the day. Overall, it’s a positive climate.”

Asked by Tong, school board chairman Chris Pattacini responded that the board had some initial pushback from concerned parents.

“We did have parents who were concerned about being able to get in touch with their children in the event of a security issue,” Pattacini said.