DC Council hears from school leaders, students about proposed cell phone ban in schools
WASHINGTON () — The D.C. Council is considering a widespread ban on cell phones across all public and charter schools, and Tuesday afternoon, dozens of parents, students, and advocates weighed in on the proposal.
The bill, introduced by Brooke Pinto, does allow some flexibility for schools to craft their policies, as long as it bans devices including cell phones, smart watches and gaming devices. There are also exemptions for some emergencies and learning plans.
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By and large, this is an effort to help District students learn more efficiently.
Several schools already have cell phone policies, including Hardy Middle School in Northwest D.C., which has had a policy instructing students to place their phones in a pencil case since the 2023-24 school year.
'If you had your phone, would you be as engaged in this class?' said 8th-grade student Ella Kihn, who advocated for the ban.Maurine Westover, Hardy Middle School principal, described the benefits of the policy in her testimony to councilmembers.
'Restricting cell phones during the school day allows students to prioritize their academic and personal growth,' she said.
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Support was not unanimous, especially among students.'Phones are required for communication with family, work accessibility, and even homework,' said David Armando.Most people who testified were in favor, including people from schools that already have cell phone policies in place, some say each school is unique, and a standardized policy isn't the solution.'The policy requires schools to keep students secure throughout the entirety of the school day, which presents considerable logistical and cost implications,' said Calvery Cooper, the head of school at BASIS DC Public Charter School.
Tracy White, the CEO of Paul Public Charter School, said the cost 'is not only financial, it's operational.'
The cost, both for potential storage devices and staff, is unknown.
Pinto said the District should be providing for a cost-effective option 'so we're not asking our schools that are already stretched so thin to take on additional burden.'
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Another topic discussed during the hearing was how students should or shouldn't be using phones during an emergency.
Some of the experts who testified, along with Pinto, said they believed the students should be paying attention to directions and guidance from adults in those situations.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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