No-phone policy in Bay Area high school raises safety concerns

Aragon High School senior Francez Santos worries when she is in class. The reason is that at any moment there could be an emergency — an active shooter on campus or a fire — but she would have difficulty accessing her phone due to a no-cell-phone policy implemented this year

This year, the San Mateo Union High School District implemented a cell phone ban policy to foster a focused learning environment, support student well-being and encourage face-to-face connection, according to the district. This policy covers 10 schools in San Mateo County, including San Mateo, Foster City, Burlingame, Hillsborough, Millbrae and San Bruno.