A rare bipartisan agreement is being reached by state legislators nationwide on a matter that is becoming more and more important to parents and educators: prohibiting cell phone usage in classrooms.
Growing research on the detrimental impacts of smartphone and social media use on grade-to-high school kids’ mental health and academic performance is driving these bans.
At least eight states—California, Idaho, Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Ohio, South Carolina, and Virginia—either enacted new legislation or expanded existing ones to restrict the use of cellphones in classrooms in 2024.
Lawmakers have introduced prohibitions in their state legislatures this year in Alabama, Georgia, Maryland, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Texas, and Wisconsin.
Last Monday, Republican Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders of Arkansas signed legislation mandating that schools forbid students from using cellphones and other personal electronic devices while in class.
This year, Republican Governor Kim Reynolds of Iowa proposed a more comprehensive ban on electronic devices.
Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul of New York announced last month that she will outlaw smartphones in schools.
Additionally, JB Pritzker, the Democratic governor of Illinois, suggested a statewide ban on cell phones in classrooms last week.
However, other experts caution that before they even go into effect, these prohibitions may be out-of-date or difficult to implement.
Some lawmakers claim that if schools don’t prohibit children’s cellphone use, they will
According to Ken Trump, a seasoned school safety specialist and president of the consulting business National School Safety and Security Services, “the genie is out of the bottle and it will be nearly impossible to squeeze it back in.” Social media and phones have drastically altered society and, consequently, education. Complete prohibitions might be impractical or challenging to properly implement.
Trump believes that rather than doing in-depth research, governors in particular are reacting to a trend. He [presented a measure], so I’m going to do it too, our political representatives are rushing to announce. After Florida’s measure was approved, it took off.
The first states to completely prohibit cellphone use in class were Florida in 2023, Louisiana the previous year, and South Carolina the year before. Other states, such as Connecticut and Alaska, encouraged local districts to create their own policies by issuing recommendations rather than directives.
Last year, a law was passed in Minnesota requiring districts to create their own regulations. However, a plan supported by Democratic state senator Alice Mann would restrict the use of smartphones and smartwatches in high school classrooms starting in the 2026–2027 academic year and outlaw them in elementary and middle schools.
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After speaking with kids personally last year, Mann started thinking about the proposal.
Children informed us how distracting cellphones were during a committee hearing. We were particularly interested in that, she said. In our conversations with school districts around the state, we found that some had no policy, others had one- or two-year prohibitions, and some had longer-term bans. All of the people that were banned said the same thing: It’s been amazing.
Enforcement varies greatly, even in cases when bans are in place. Yondr pouches, which are lockable sleeves that prohibit phone use during the school day, are used by certain schools. While some schools adopt straightforward classroom regulations that forbid phone use, others ask students to keep their phones in lockers or classroom pouches.
72% of high school teachers in the United States claim that cellphone distraction is a significant problem in their classes, according to the Pew Research Center. Students have swiftly adjusted, finding methods to get around the prohibitions by putting calculators or fake phones in pouches or by using smartwatches to send texts and monitor social media, even though many educators and administrators report good changes following bans.
States and schools are urged by the US Education Department to establish policy regarding the usage of cellphones.
Trump, the expert on school safety, asserted that students are more tech-savvy than legislators. They come up with solutions, whether it’s using Chromebooks, wearables, or school Wi-Fi.
Programs that give schools lockable phone storage pouches or financial incentives for districts that establish their own restrictive regulations have received money from states like Arkansas, Delaware, Idaho, and Pennsylvania.
According to a proposed measure in Texas, students might be charged up to $30 to get back a phone that was seized for breaking a cellphone ban.
With bans on devices like pagers dating back to the late 1980s, schools have struggled for decades with how to control mobile devices. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 76% of public schools in the United States forbade the use of cellphones for purposes other than academic ones in 2024.
Since its establishment in 2016, the Girls Athletic Leadership School Los Angeles has implemented stringent no-phone regulations. The charter school’s no-phone policy goes beyond typical phone bans by prohibiting use on campus, off-campus, and even on school buses.
For kids, cellphones are a huge source of distraction and temptation. In a statement to Stateline, Vanessa Garza, the founding principal and executive director of Girls Athletic Leadership School Los Angeles, wrote. Our pupils have benefited from improved learning, the development of strong friendships, and the ability to control healthy emotions thanks to this long-standing approach.
Trump, the school security expert, believes that schools should prioritize acceptable limits and consensus-based rules that are effective for specific communities rather than imposing top-down governmental mandates.
Enforcement becomes a headache if you try to outright ban phones, he added. What occurs when children disobey? Will schools hire someone specifically to enforce cellphone rules? Policies lose their meaning if they are not applied consistently.
Trump said that when there is a school emergency, the volume of calls from students to 911 might overwhelm first responders.
The representative from Minnesota, Mann, rejected the notion that students are the source of opposition to phone restrictions. Rather, she believes that parents are the ones who are most opposed to limitations.
Although they can reach their children, some parents are concerned that they won’t be able to. Just like before cellphones were in everyone’s pockets, parents can call the school if they need to contact their child, Mann said.
Students are complaining to us that their phones are constantly pinging throughout class, and many of the calls are coming from parents. What shall we eat for dinner, parents texting? else I’ll be late getting home. There is no emergency here.
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Eliot Pierce is a dedicated writer for ChiefsFocus.com, covering local crime and finance news. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for storytelling, Eliot aims to provide his readers with clear and insightful analysis, helping them navigate the complexities of their financial lives while staying informed about important local events. His commitment to delivering accurate and engaging content makes him a valuable resource for the community.