Medina school officials say fewer discipline referrals, improved atmosphere since cell phone ban
District implemented own policy about a year ago, before state-wide ban in September
Photo by Tom Rivers: Mollie Mark, assistant principal at Medina Junior-Senior High School, goes over data on student discipline that shows a drop in referrals since students have been banned from using their cell phones during the school day.
MEDINA – It was just over a year ago when the Medina Junior-Senior High School implemented a “bell to bell” cell phone ban in the school.
Medina started the new policy in January 2025, the beginning of the second semester. The district was ahead of the state which imposed its own state-wide cell phone ban in schools beginning in September at the start of the new school year.
Medina has seen a drop in student discipline referrals since instituting the new cell phone policy, and students report they are better able to focus on their studies. The hallways and cafeteria also are much noisier, which is a good sign that students are talking and laughing with their classmates rather than scrolling on their phones, said Mollie Mark, the school’s assistant principal.
She and Michael Cavanaugh, the junior-senior high principal, presented data to the Board of Education on Tuesday about student discipline and phone violations.
Discipline Data – first semester from September to January
- 2025-26: 562
- 2024-25: 727
- 2023-24: 744
- 2022-23: 623
- 2021-22: 1,104
Phone violations
- 2024-25: 156 first violations, 15 violations and 11 contracts
- 2025-26: 73 first violations, 8 second violations and 0 contracts
The school policy sets the following discipline for students who violate the cell phone policy:
• First Offense – Student delivers device to the main office and may pick it up at the end of the day.
• Second Offense – Student delivers device to the main office and is held for parent pick-up.
• Third Offense – Student delivers device to the main office and is held for parent pick up. A conference is then held and a contract is put into place with the parent/guardian.
Cavanaugh told the board there has been a “transformative change” in the school building since the new policy started. Students have to keep all devices silenced and in their lockers for the duration of the school day – from 7:45 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. That includes cell phones, earbuds/headphones, tablets and smartwatches. (The only exceptions to this policy are with a note provided by a medical doctor and the approval of school administration.)
Cavanaugh interviewed students on video about the policy change and showed their responses.
“People are interacting more with each other rather than sitting on their phone,” one male student said.
Other students said the school atmosphere is much more calmer.
“Everyone gets along better,” the male student said.
Students aren’t recording each other or posting on social media about other students during the school day, reducing a lot of anxiety among students.
“It’s easier to pay attention in class,” another male student said. “It’s less stressful.”
A female high school student said she is better able to focus on her classwork and made the honor for the first two marking periods this school year.
“It’s less stressful because I’m not constantly checking the phone,” she said.
