Polehanki offers Whitmer-backed bill to restrict cell phone use in Michigan schools
Daniel deDuring her 2025 State of the State Speech, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer gave her support for cell phone restrictions in Michigan schools, with state Rep. Mark Tisdel (R-Rochester Hills) reintroducing his plan to keep school children off their phones and focused on lessons that same day.
However, members of the Senate Education Committee on Tuesday will hear testimony on a different proposal crafted by its chair, state Sen. Dayna Polehanki (D-Livonia).
Slated for introduction on Monday, Polehanki told the Michigan Advance her plan was crafted alongside the governor's office and has support from the Michigan Department of Education.
While Tisdel's plan would place different restrictions on students based on their grade level, Polehanki's proposal would require a district's school board or a charter school's board of directors to develop their own wireless communications device policy to limit cell phone use during school hours and cut down on distractions.
Tisdel's plan would:
Prohibit students in Kindergarten through grade 5 from possessing a wireless communication device on school grounds
Block students in grades six through eight from using a wireless communication device on school grounds during instructional time, breaks between instruction, lunch and recess.
Bar students in grades nine through 12 from using a wireless communication device during instruction time.
The school board and board of directors can also implement additional restrictions.
'It's important to me that our bill is not too prescriptive. I do believe that school districts should have control over exactly what their cell phone policies say. School districts know what's best for themselves,' said Polehanki, who taught high school for almost 20 years.
Polehanki's proposal also includes exceptions for emergency situations, medical devices and devices included in a student's individualized education plan, and permits a school's principal to create further exceptions.
'I am personally not comfortable with any legislation that would put an outright ban on a cell phone in the era of the school shootings,' Polehanki said.
'I just don't believe in an outright ban, but some schools may choose to do that. But the beauty of this bill is it's up to them,' she said.
Heading into the 2024-2025 school year, an increasing number of states began implementing or weighing cell phone bans, with the U.S. Surgeon General issuing two advisories on social media use and youth mental health.
Independent Health Policy Organization KFF reports as of March 5, 2025, nine states had banned or restricted cell phone use in schools, while 16 others, including Michigan, were considering restrictions.
The Columbia University Department of Psychiatry notes studies have found a link between heavy social media use and depression, anxiety, loneliness, and suicidal ideation.
While cell phone use in classrooms can be a problem, cell phone policies do work, Polehanki said. However these policies need to be understood and enforced, she said, and having district-level policy can help that.
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