“For quite a while,” Hepp said, she’d been thinking about cell phones’ impacts on children. After coming across research that underscored their negative affects, and not seeing any notices from the district, she felt compelled to call greater attention to the issue.
Both mothers, whose children attend different local schools, soon connected and began to organize with other parents, sharing a petition and then a survey to gauge interest in phone-free schools.
The response was overwhelming. Out of over 460 responses from parents and educators, the survey showed nearly 97% support for a district-wide phone-free policy. Broken down, 13.1% supported the policy with modifications, while 83.7% supported an across-the-board ban on cell phones in schools.
Administrators then established a “Cell Phones in School” committee to review the district’s current cell phone policy and gather more feedback on the role of cell phones and similar devices at district schools. The committee of about 30 includes teachers, parents, and one pediatrician, Hepp and Thomas said.
The district has until July 2026 to update its policy, and plans to share its own survey with the school community as early as next month.
Later next year, district staff will return with a recommendation and implementation timeline, according to district officials.
Use in emergencies
Although Thomas and Hepp found overwhelming support for banning cell phones, there was one common sticking point among fellow parents: How would they be able to reach their children during an emergency?
“Parents are just used to being able to contact their kids all the time,” Thomas said. But she and others her age can remember growing up in an era without cell phones, where they coordinated plans ahead of time or reached their own parents from a nearby land line.
The immediate connection cell phones provide isn’t necessarily helpful in emergency situations anyway. That’s because, as seen recently when Penngrove Elementary School was evacuated, parents naturally want to retrieve their children right away – but the sudden arrival of so many people can hamper the emergency response, according to police.
“During emergencies, we understand the strong desire for parents to pick up their children, but this can inadvertently impact public safety responders’ ability to access the area quickly and manage the situation effectively,” said Deputy Chief Nick McGowan of the Petaluma Police Department.
“The police department works closely with schools to ensure preparedness and effective communication during crises. This includes regular collaboration on safety plans, training, and coordinated responses tailored to the unique needs of each school,” he said.
Though some parents have worried that too many emergency calls could jam up phone lines, McGowan said police use a system that ensures “continuity of communications” even in the face of “high-demand situations.”
Regardless, the new state legislation requires parents and educators to allow phone access during emergencies. Other exceptions to the rule also allow phone use with a doctor’s OK or as part of a student’s individual educational program.
Community response
While the local union representing Petaluma City Schools teachers does not have a stated position on banning cell phones, “I think anyone in school can tell you that discipline problems are on the rise,” said Sandra Larsen, president of the Petaluma Federation of Teachers and herself a retired teacher.
Bad behaviors, she said, “are more extreme or (happening) more often” – and cell phone use is thought to be a factor.
In mid-November Larsen attended a meeting led by Gov. Newsom and his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, to discuss cell phones’ impacts on students as well as the newly enacted law. She said she met leaders from other California school districts who lauded the positive effects a cell phone ban had on student outcomes.
For her part, the Petaluma City Schools board chair, Caitlin Quinn, said in an email that she “absolutely” supports exploring the topic.
But she added, “I can also see how some students benefit from having access to their phones to listen to music while they work, use Google translate if English is not their first language, and contact family in an emergency. I’m hopeful the committee can get good feedback and ideas from the whole community to find a solution that will work for our district.”
The committee and the district have yet to explore implementation methods and enforcement strategies.
“I think the biggest thing will be working on how to enforce any restrictions on cell phone use and ensuring that teachers and staff have the support they need from their administration and the district,” Quinn said.
Argus-Courier staff photographer Crissy Pascual contributed to this report.
You can reach Staff Writer Jennifer Sawhney at 707-521-5346 or jennifer.sawhney@pressdemocrat.com. On X (Twitter) @sawhney_media.
