On Oct. 28, the Tamalpais Union High School District (TUHSD) board trustees gathered for a meeting in the library to discuss phone free schooling, particularly focusing the discussion on the implementation of Yondr Pouches. Yondr Pouches are magnetically lockable pouches used for storing cellphones. Four out of five members agreed in an informal vote to continue the discussion in January of 2026 to consider possible implementation.

The implementation of Yondr pouches is currently aiming to be set for the fall of 2026, costing $135,000-$155,000 and an additional $25,000-$35,000 annually to supply for all students. The current incentive behind the use of these pouches falls primarily within the concern of cellphones’ impact on the psychological well-being of students and overall school environment. 

TUHSD board president and teacher at Alameda High School Cynthia Roenisch presented her support of the phone policy from an educator standpoint. 

“In my opinion, we’re committing educational malpractice by not having [a stricter phone policy],” Roenisch said. 

Roenisch continued by elaborating on the benefits Yondr pouches might create in students’ overall well-being. 

 “Yondr pouches might improve our students’ character, emotional intelligence, empathy and compassion for others, modeling confidence and resilience, and engaging civically,” said Roenisch. “My opinion, which may differ from everyone else’s, is that seven hours without being able to access a phone is seven healthier hours, seven more focused hours, and seven more empathetic hours. I think our students have lost that, and so, I will always argue to try and ensure that and restore it.” 

However, Tamalpais High School’s student board representative Helen Kay expressed a different standpoint on the matter. 

“I love to learn and would love to limit my use of my phone, and I know [phone usage] is a huge issue. I would say that banning something that is always going to be a part of our generation’s lives now might not be the best approach,” Kay said.

Board member Emily Uhlhorn opposed putting the Yondr pouch discussion on the agenda for January’s meeting. Uhlhorn acknowledged the research on the direct correlation between cellphones and teens’ mental health; however, she doesn’t think that investing in Yondr pouches will solve all the problems TUHSD is trying to address in terms of cellphone use.  

“There are a lot of other unintended consequences that would come up [from implementing the pouches] that I don’t think would be outweighed by the fact that we would be limiting it for [only] another short period of time,” Uhlhorn said. 

Instead of Yondr pouches, Uhlhorn suggested an increase in education around cell phone usage rather than simply banning the source. 

“Our role is in education. We could absolutely bump up our education for kids and families around social media use and limiting access to phones. We could provide recommendations on that,” Uhlhorn said. 

The discussion ended with a majority agreement to reconvene in January to restate each point of view and propose possible implementation strategies, with no major policies being finalized for the time being.