‘This is ridiculous.’ Unhappy Bullard High students criticize new classroom cellphone ban

Silence your cell phones, Bullard students: the Fresno Unified high school’s much-talked-about cell phone ban finally kicked in Wednesday.

Announcements went up on Bullard High School’s Instagram and Facebook accounts Tuesday, stating that Yondr pouches — where students’ phones will be locked during the school day — would be distributed Nov. 9 during fourth period.

The policy’s start date got pushed back several times this school year. The initial target mentioned in back-to-school packets families received in August was Sept. 1.

Part of the delay had to do with the Bullard community’s mixed reactions to news of the policy.

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.

Armen Torigian, Bullard’s principal and the primary architect of the ban, said he would handpick a group of teachers, parents and students in August to offer more feedback on the policy before rolling it out.

In October, Torigian told The Bee’s Education Lab that he was also waiting until his administrative team was fully staffed to roll out the controversial new policy.

“We have been a little short-staffed,” he said in an October interview. “We’re almost at full strength with our (vice principals).”

As for how the administration landed on Nov. 9 instead, “The decision had nothing to do with the election,” Fresno Unified spokesperson Nikki Henry said in an email late Wednesday afternoon.

“This week was the week that 6 of the Yondr staff could join the Bullard staff and be present for the roll out,” Henry said.

Wednesday was also selected to help “ease everyone into the new policy,” according to Henry, leaving just one full day without phones before the Veterans Day holiday this Friday and one full week without phones next week before Thanksgiving break.

With the ban now officially underway, students remain its biggest skeptics.

Hundreds of replies flooded the comment section of Bullard’s announcement of the start date on Instagram.

“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.”

Bullard students also told the Ed Lab Monday that some of their classmates participated in walk outs Tuesday to protest the new policy, although an Instagram account that initially proposed the ban was no longer active.

Henry confirmed that an unspecified number of students participated yesterday around 11:30 a.m. but that the group dwindled to just four students by noon.

“There was no walkout or protest today,” Henry said, meaning Wednesday, “and the rollout went quite smoothly.”

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.

The Education Lab is a local journalism initiative that highlights education issues critical to the advancement of the San Joaquin Valley. It is funded by donors. Learn about The Bee’s Education Lab at its website.