Farmington Schools has announced its participation in the Governor’s Cell Phone-Free Pilot
Program. The program aims to address the mental health impact of phone use on teenagers by
reducing cell phone distractions during the school day and balancing communication needs
during emergencies.
Although the district is participating in the pilot, Superintendent Jon Laffoon stressed the
importance of maintaining open communication between parents and students. "When there
are emergencies at school, being able to communicate with your child to ensure they are safe
directly is critically important, and our students' safety is our top priority," said Laffoon.
While backing efforts to minimize phone distractions and support students' mental health,
Laffoon expressed concerns about strict bans. “In my opinion, cell phone bans fail to take into
consideration the emergency real-life scenarios that play out across our communities and our
nation,” he said.
Farmington Schools is working to ensure the pilot is implemented in a way that prioritizes safety
and student well-being. "We listened to our students," Laffoon noted, referencing feedback from
the Superintendent’s Student Advisory Committee and a student survey. Our students have
great ideas. They were clear about the need to communicate with parents for logistical and
transportation purposes, and they need access to communication devices during
non-instructional times to do that."
The next steps involve creating a plan that integrates the student feedback while complying with
the grant’s requirements. Laffoon also mentioned, "Districts are still unclear from the state on
what the mental health portion will include." The district expects to have its plan in place for the
second semester of this year.