Debra Boyer rushed to Maryvale High School after getting a tip on a neighborhood safety app that something was happening on Tuesday, Aug. 19. Her grandson is a junior at the school where another student was fatally stabbed.

Howard County Public Schools began enforcing a stricter cell phone policy on March 3, 2025, limiting personal device use for all students.

Some students, not the majority of students, have reported favorable outcomes of this policy. They comment on how much more fun lunchtime is."