TUCSON, Ariz. — A Tucson biology teacher says enough is enough. He's leaving the classroom over students not being able to put down their phones.
He told News 4 he tried everything in the world to get the kids to power down but the appeal of what's on their cell phone is just too great.
VERSIÓN EN ESPAÑOL: Un maestro de Arizona renunció a su trabajo después de intentar todo para que los estudiantes se desconectaran de sus teléfonos
Mitchell Rutherford had been teaching biology at Sahuaro High School for over a decade.
This will be his final week.
"I have been struggling with mental health this year mostly because of what I identified as basically phone addiction with the students."
Rutherford said last semester something just wasn't right and this semester he said he was working harder than the students.
"This year something shifted, and it's just like they are numbing themselves, they are just checking out of society, they're just like can't get rid of it, they can't put it away."
He likens the phone addiction to that of drugs.
"Opioids, obviously a huge problem, cocaine heroin, all of those drugs, alcohol, it's all a big problem, but like sugar even greater than that and then phones even greater than that."
He said he tried everything in the book to get the students to dial it down, turn their phones off and turn their brains on.
"Here's extra credit, let's check your screen time, let's create habits, let's do a unit on sleep, and why sleep is important, and how to reduce your phone usage for a bedtime routine, and we talked about it every day and created a basket called phone jail."
So what does he believe is the solution to phone addiction?
"As a society, we need to prioritize educating our youth and protecting our youth and allowing their brains and social skills and happiness to develop in a natural way without their phones."
News 4 spoke with parents about Mr. Rutherford leaving his teaching position.
Chuck Anderson said, "I kind of agree with him, not really agree with him for quitting, but I agree with this stance he's taking because he's not able to do his job."
Another parent, Bernadette Saucedo added, "I think it's understandable I feel the frustration, I have two teenage boys so they are on their phones constantly, and it's a big distraction."
Mr. Rutherford's last day is Thursday. It's bittersweet but he knows he's making the best decision for himself and his family. Eventually, he'd like to get his PhD.
UP TO SPEED
