Dos Pueblos High School is tightening its enforcement of the cellphone policy for its “no-phones” campus rule, after seeing an excess of phone usage during class time.

According to Dean of Students Bethany Bodenhamer, if a staff member sees a student using a cell phone during designated class time, the device will be confiscated. The phone is then taken to the main office for the remainder of the school day, where a parent or guardian must retrieve it.

“Anytime we confiscate a phone, we call the parent, and I would say, overwhelmingly, the parents are in support,” Bodenhamer said. “I think the same thing we’re seeing here at school, parents are seeing at home.”

Additionally, Bodenhamer said that any confiscated phones will be kept at the school until a parent or guardian is available to retrieve them. She added that the updated cellphone policy has its “benefits” for the school community.

Additionally, Bodenhamer said phones that are not collected will remain at school until a parent is available, and she shared that the updated cellphone policy has its “benefits” to the school.

The original Santa Barbara Unified cellphone policy, implemented in the 2024-25 school year, required non-school electronic devices, referring to cellphones and earbuds, to remain “Off and Away” during designated class time.

“There’s a lot of academic benefits, but I know there’s also a lot of social benefits, because there’s a lot that goes on in the online world,” Bodenhamer. “I think there are a lot more rich, healthy relationships that can be had with face-to-face interactions, rather than everyone just being on their screens.”

As of right now, students are required to place their phones in a designated “cell hotel” located at the front of classrooms. However, Goleta Valley Junior High School and La Colina Junior High School’s new pouch policy has renewed cellphone policy discussion.

“We are really trying to make students understand that if class is in session, whether or not you have a class, you can’t be on your phone,” said Bodenhamer.

Matt Moran, DPHS Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate World History teacher, has expressed that the cell hotel has “benefited the classroom” and himself as a teacher.

“I think it’s helped with class structure, with student talk, participation, productivity, and less distractions,” Moran said. “I put my phone in the [cell] hotel because I know I’m just as distracted by it.”

Lucas AbuGhazaleh (12) agrees with the “Off and Away” policy, but said the cell hotel is not necessary.

“I would have a way where you could have the cellphone in your pocket during classtime, but you’d be trusted not to use it,” AbuGhazaleh said. “As a consequence of having your phone out, it should be taken to the office and then have to be picked up.”

JJ Nevelo (9) suggests that there needs to be a change in the cellphone policy to “better accommodate” students.

“I would take away the cell hotel, but say that all phones have to be off and away in your backpack,” Nevelo said. “All teachers would have the ability to take anyone’s phone and send it up to the office.”

Hannah John (10) and Grady Felix (10) said the policies need to be revised to better fit students.

“I think if students have their phones out, teachers should put their phones up in the cell hotel,” John said. “If you’re not paying attention, you have to put your phones up.”

Additionally, Felix said he would allow students to have their phones during class time.

“I would give students the freedom to have their phones on them,” Felix said. “But, if they were to have their phones out when they were supposed to be doing schoolwork, then I would take them.”

While DPHS updated its phone policy, Bodenhamer said staff thoughts vary when changing the policy.

“There are a lot of logistics that go into implementing a policy like that; high schoolers are in a different stage of life than junior highs,” Bodenhamer said. “We understand the realities of what it means to be 14 through 18 years old. We understand that a lot of our students have jobs. A lot of them drive. A lot of them have a free period during the day. A lot of them are on sports teams that use apps, so there’s a lot of different things that require the use of this tool.”

Despite the revised policies, phones continue to be confiscated and are taken to the office.

“The first day of the term, I had 13 documented confiscated phones and or earbuds,” Bodenhamer said. “I would say, on average, [we get] under five, maybe three a day.”