News Update

Cellphone ban at Fresno high school met with pushback

A Fresno high school has instituted a new cellphone ban in classrooms, and the school community is not happy about it, The Fresno Bee reported Thursday.

The policy’s start date at Bullard High School got pushed back several times this school year.

Administrators stressed that the goal of the policy is to reduce distractions in the classroom. But some students questioned whether an ulterior motive behind the policy had to do with a racist photo taken in the high school’s weight room in May, which sparked student walkouts and demands for accountability, The Bee reported.

Hundreds of replies flooded the comment section of Bullard’s announcement ban on Instagram, The Bee reported. “So basically you won’t listen to your student body, parents or alumni about an issue that concerns everyone?” one commenter posted. “Let’s see how long this lasts,” another wrote. “You are worried about phones instead let’s focus more on our child’s education and their well-being with all the school threats. This is ridiculous. I’m a parent and am not for this at all.”

The policy became a talking point for candidates as well in the hotly contested race for the Bullard-area seat on Fresno Unified’s school board in Tuesday’s election, the Bee reported.


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