Paraprofessionals and Support Staff Using Phones During Class Disrupts Instruction and Undermines Teacher Authority

Summary

Teachers report that paraprofessionals and classroom support staff frequently sit on their phones (e.g., scrolling TikTok) during active instruction, which is rude, distracting to students, and undermines the teacher's authority. Inexperienced teachers, in particular, feel awkward confronting colleagues for behavior that should not need to be stated. This unsolved problem disrupts classroom management, harms student focus, and exacerbates teacher burnout. Current school policies lack enforcement mechanisms and training to ensure support staff remain engaged and model appropriate behavior for students.