Tennessee House passes bill banning classroom cell phone use, one Senate vote remains

Yahoo

03-03-2025

A bill requiring Tennessee school districts to ban use of cell phones, laptops, smart watches and other devices during instructional time passed the state House of Representatives with bipartisan support on Monday.
House Bill 932 passed the House in a vote of 80 to 10 on Monday afternoon, and now needs one final Senate vote – expected Thursday – before it heads to Gov. Bill Lee's desk. Tennessee is one of several states considering similar statewide policies this year.
'With everything that we have learned about the harm that cell phones are doing, the amount of time it takes for a student to refocus after they have had a message show up on their cell phone, all the information that we have have been given in the past year has led us to the assumption that every school district should want to do this type of policy if they want what's best for their students,' said Rep. Rebecca Alexander, R-Jonesborough.
As written, the bill would require each school district to develop and implement policies restricting the use of any wireless communication devices — including cellphones, tablets, smart watches, laptop computers and gaming devices — during instructional time. Exceptions would be made for students who need to use devices for educational purposes, students with disabilities and medical needs, such as diabetic students who need to check their insulin level, and students with special learning needs.
Policy specifics would be up to local school boards' discretion, and would be submitted to the State Board of Education. Districts could adopt policies requiring students to stop device use at the beginning of the school day – bell to bell – or adopt restrictions on their use during classroom time only.
The bill requires districts to allow students to access and use devices in emergency situations.
If signed into law, the measure would take effect on July 1, and apply statewide beginning in the 2025-26 school year.
Rep. Dan Howell, R-Cleveland, said schools in his district held focus groups with parents, principals and teachers, and support a statewide requirement.
"They can develop their own policy, but even though there's overwhelming support, there are some, as we know, who always criticize anything. We need to have their back," Howell said. "Our teachers work in a very difficult environment sometimes, and we need to have their back."
Rep. Gloria Johnson, D-Knoxville, said during the House debate that she is unaware of a school district that does not already have a cell phone or device policy in place ― and most have had them for years. Alexander said the bill came at the request of a statewide group of school superintendents.
Some Tennessee schools and districts already have similar policies in place. At KIPP Nashville Collegiate High School, for example, students are required to lock phones away in sealed pouches for the day. Teachers and staff there say kids are more engaged in class, and cyberbullying and similar conflicts have greatly decreased since the ban.
More: As cellphone bans debated, Tennessee schools share the pros and cons of restrictions
Leaders at Hamblen County Schools, which adopted a policy this school year restricting device use, said students have been more focused in the classroom, and less distracted.
The bill could be a first step toward future limitation of technology use in the classroom. House Speaker Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville, has indicated he would like to see more limitations on instructional devices like Google Chromebooks, arguing that students may 'rush through' tests to get computer time.
Vivian Jones covers state government and politics for The Tennessean. Reach her at [e-mail].
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee House passes statewide school cell phone ban