There was a time when GigaPets were a distraction in classrooms. Now, it’s cellphones. And, for one school in a video that was shared on X (formerly Twitter), the solution is magnetic bags that can’t be opened back up until the end of the school day. The only issue for some, however, is safety. It’s one thing to use the bags, which require a special magnetic device to open them, to get rid of the distraction. It’s another thing entirely, though, to deprive kids access to their phones in the case of an emergency. At least, that’s what some have shared as concerns.
The bags shown in the video on X are similar to those you might have seen or been forced to use at live comedy shows or concerts. In those cases, the idea is to keep patrons from taking photos or even distracting others with their phones. But the idea of implementing these in schools might be a bit of overkill.
Other schools are using Yondr pouches too.
banning phones in school is just crazy😭 pic.twitter.com/Is7Tlb35nI
— 𝗱𝗮𝗻𝗻𝘆🫧💚 (@beyoncegarden) August 19, 2025
The bags, which are called Yondr pouches, are being implemented by some schools to keep most spaces distraction- and cellphone-free. The idea is that kids can learn more efficiently without the temptation of using their phones during class. While some schools might consider trusting kids to keep their devices in their backpacks or lockers, others have invested in Yondr pouches.
In the X post, the user shared a video of kids getting their Yondr unlocked at the end of the day. According to Yondr’s website, the company has been working with plenty of schools and districts across the United States to help teachers and school officials create a distraction-free atmosphere.
The website explains, “Our unique, lockable pouch means students keep their phones, but cannot access them during the school day. Teachers no longer have to be the phone police, and pupils get a much needed 6-8 hour break from digital distractions.” The X post is from a school called Hunters Lane High School.
Elsewhere, another school, Harden Middle School in Salinas, California, shared a similar policy on its website for junior high students. The policy claims that Yondr has been used in more than 2,000 schools around the world. Yondr’s website notes it is available in all 50 states and in more than 35 countries.
There are concerns about kids’ safety if their phones are locked in magnetic bags.
Despite schools adopting the policy of allowing kids to keep their phones all day but safely locked in Yondr pouches, some parents have concerns. In a YouTube short from WKRC in Cincinnati, Ohio, a parent says he wants his child to be able to get in touch with him in the event of a school emergency.
Another parent says in the video, “They need to be able to contact their parents as quick as possible.”
WKRC also estimates that the school district spent more than $72,000 on the pouches. In the comment section of the video, one person pointed out, “It’s crazy that they spend this much money for phones [and] distractions, but they don’t spend it for security in case of school threats.”
