HUSD schools implement ‘no cellphone’ policy

HEMET – Asking students to give up their cell phones is not a pleasant experience. Adults anticipate the negotiating, whines and eye rolls as they utter those dreaded words. However, educators are not receiving these responses at two schools in Hemet Unified School District, as students are willingly giving up their phones during class to staff. Tahquitz High School decided to implement a schoolwide no cellphone policy during class, after a successful pilot from the English department in 2018-2019. Now at the beginning of each class period, students are asked to park their cell phones in individual pockets at the front of the room. These cellphone pockets are referred to as “parking lots.” The new policy was met with enthusiasm by staff, but the real indicator was how students