For centuries, schools have focused on teaching students the three Rs – reading, writing and arithmetic. Recently, a fourth “R” has crept into the daily curriculum – restricting use of students’ cell phones.

The debate is not only ongoing here in the Juniata Valley but is in progress coast to coast. Locally, administrators, educators and even school board directors differ on the notion of restricting usage of cell phones on school grounds.

Some schools make students place phones in their lockers. Others require them to be checked in before class. But some are OK with having students keep them in a backpack or pocket, so long as they’re turned off.

Some say if they remain in view they are a distraction to students and affect students’ ability to focus and learn. They believe access to phones should be minimal and they should be stored “out of sight” in student lockers.

Others contend there is a place for phones in the classroom, serving as a resource, such as a calculator or even a source for gathering information online. They, too, contend that there is a time and a place for usage.

Finally, some parents argue that students need to have phones at school in cases of emergency. With violence in schools bannered across newspapers far too often, parents want to know their children are only a phone or text away.

Most of the local school districts either leave phone usage up to the discretion of the educators or simply want them kept out of sight.

Juniata County made headlines recently as its directors began talking about a cell phone policy. While the district allows educators to police usage. Some district officials believe more needs to be done, or add that it’s not fair to place such a burden on educators especially if they’re reluctant to assume the role of enforcer.

Juniata County administrators say they will continue to monitor cell phone usage, gathering information and checking disciplinary reports specifically to see what sort of violations occur. Perhaps phone policies will change in the future.

In neighboring districts, cell phone usage issues have popped up here and there. While parents want to know that their children are safe when issues do arise, most districts already have protocols in place to keep them updated.

Officials in Mifflin County are also evaluating their current policy to see if any adjustments need to be made. Stay tuned.

National safety experts argue that in times of crisis, cell phones aren’t the best means of communication because networks get jammed. Parents trying to reach their children in an emergency might jam communications and interfere with first responders.

National Public Radio reported security experts argue against letting students have their phones during a lockdown makes them less safe, not more so. When students should be quiet, a ringing or vibrating phone might alert an intruder where they are hiding.

Digital device policies have been all over the map in U.S. schools since the 1980s since pagers came out, with parents and educators divided on whether to curb or outright ban phone use on school grounds.

A few states, like California, have passed laws that give public and charter schools the authority to prohibit cell phone use in the classroom, except during emergencies.

In Michigan, a public school district revised its policy so that students wouldn’t be allowed to carry or use cell phones at all during the school day. A similar edict is in place in Ohio.

A principal expressed his happiness by Tweeting about his school’s policy: “Looking forward to seeing faces, not cell phones this school year!”

Pennsylvania has yet to weigh in on the matter as school districts across the Keystone State grapple with implementing policy.

Everyone seems to agree a cell phone policy needs to exist. Getting everyone on the same page remains the challenge.