Virginia’s Governor Glenn Youngkin signed an executive order on June 4, 2024, banning phone use in classrooms all over the state. Then, on May 30, 2025, he signed an executive order completely banning all phone use in school. Schools in Virginia interpreted how their district would implement this rule in different ways. At the start of this school year, the FCPS School Board voted to apply this to classroom time only, and not during lunches or between classes.
That all changed in Fluvanna last week. In 4th period on Sept. 11, Principal Margo Bruco came on the intercom and announced that the FCPS School Board had voted on Sept. 10 to say that cell phones were prohibited during the entire school day.
Students appear to have mixed feelings about the new policy, with some saying that this is just another way for schools to control their students.
“I fear I will not be participating,” said senior Adrienne Burruss.
“The administration wants more power over students,” said senior Vanessa Vandevander.
According to ABC13 News, at a visit to a school in Hopewell shortly after the executive order was codified in May of this year, Youngkin said the order was in response to a rise in negative effects of cell phones among youth at school.
“Cell phone use went up, mental health challenges went up. Disruption and disorderly conduct went up, academic performance went down, and relationships sunk,” said Youngkin.
My old school, Tunstall High School down near Danville, Virginia, followed the governor’s rule strictly last year, leading to penalties such as three days in ISS for our first offense and a one-day suspension for a second offense. I thought this was absurd, but it seemed to work, as you virtually never saw a student with their phone out during the school day.
The penalties for having a phone out during the day at FCHS, however, have not been clearly defined. The FCPS policy states that “No student will be suspended or expelled solely for a violation of this policy.” So what does this mean for discipline for students who violate this policy? Will it be the same as usual?
Some argue that being able to have access to your phone at school is a point of safety. I agree that safety is a major concern, considering the rise in violence in schools, or even personal emergencies where you need to text a parent or guardian. I am not alone in this view.
“I don’t like the idea. Students should be able to text their parents in case of emergency,” said sophomore Malaysha Williams.
I also think that having no phones at lunch is a sticky situation, because I personally love sitting alone at lunch and watching movies on my iPad.
“I think [the new policy] limits students during lunch who may not have anyone they know in [their lunch],” said junior Sienna Brennan.
Like it or not, this phone policy is a new reality for Flucos and we just need to learn how to adjust to it. But I believe that we should not blame our teachers for this policy, as they found out at the same time we did, and it’s really not up to them.
