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Time of India
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
From distraction to danger: The national reckoning over cellphones in US schools
It started with one state. In 2023, Florida became the first in the nation to legislate the use of mobile phones in schools. Two years later, the idea has snowballed into a sweeping, bipartisan movement across the United States. With 25 states enacting laws and several more poised to follow, the tide has turned firmly against the once-ubiquitous presence of smartphones in American classrooms. What began as a push to reclaim instructional time has now evolved into a broader cultural and mental health reckoning. Phones, once considered essential lifelines, are now being cast as the chief culprits behind teen isolation, classroom disruptions, and declining attention spans. The question is no longer whether phones should be regulated in schools, but how far lawmakers are willing to go—and whether students and families are ready for the consequences. A rapid legislative shift : From coast to coast The legislative sprint to curtail phone use has crossed political and geographical boundaries. From New York to Oklahoma, statehouses are responding to growing concerns that go far beyond education. Phones, lawmakers argue, are not only undermining academic performance but exacerbating a youth mental health crisis. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Buy Brass Idols - Handmade Brass Statues for Home & Gifting Luxeartisanship Buy Now Undo "This is not just an academic bill. This is a mental health bill. It's a public safety bill," said Georgia Republican Rep. Scott Hilton, after his state passed a law banning phones in grades K-8, as quoted by The Associated Press . Democrats echo the urgency. Connecticut Rep. Jennifer Leeper labeled phones 'a cancer on our kids,' citing their corrosive effects on emotional well-being and classroom engagement. So far, 16 states have passed legislation just this year. In Alaska, a ban was enacted as part of an education bill vetoed and then overridden. In Florida, a new proposal awaits the governor's signature that would ban phones for the entire school day in elementary and middle schools, expanding on its earlier policy. Bell-to-bell bans: A new national standard The movement has steadily evolved from regulating phones during class to banning them throughout the entire school day. Nine states and the District of Columbia now impose full-day restrictions, exceeding the number that only limit use during instructional time. These "bell-to-bell" bans are driven in part by groups like ExcelinEd, an education policy think tank founded by former Florida Governor Jeb Bush. The group argues that unregulated phone access leads to increased behavioral problems, such as students recording or even orchestrating fights in hallways. In North Dakota, Governor Kelly Armstrong called the new statewide ban 'a huge win,' praising the unified support from educators, parents, and school boards. The case for local control—and the states that resist Yet, not all states are on board with sweeping mandates. In places with strong traditions of local governance, such as Maine, lawmakers are opting for less prescriptive approaches. Rather than enforce outright bans, these states require districts to adopt their own cellphone policies, trusting local leaders to interpret the mandate in their own way. Some states have outright refused to act. In Wyoming, a proposed ban was voted down amid arguments that teachers or parents, not lawmakers, should be responsible for setting boundaries. Carving out exceptions: Medical needs, emergencies, and more As bans become more stringent, so too has the conversation about exceptions. Most laws allow phones for students with medical needs or individualized education plans. Some states permit translation tools for English language learners or allow devices when used for classwork. There are also more curious allowances. South Carolina permits usage for student volunteer firefighters. West Virginia lets students wear smartwatches—as long as they're not communicating. The most contentious exception is for emergencies. The specter of school shootings haunts the debate. Parents worry that in a crisis, they would be unable to reach their children. 'It was only through text messages that parents knew what was happening,' said Tinya Brown, whose daughter survived a fatal school shooting in Georgia quoted by The Associated. Brown has publicly opposed phone bans, arguing they strip families of vital communication tools in moments of terror. The student backlash: 'Teach us, don't ban us' Students, too, are voicing their discontent. In Louisiana, sophomore Kaytlin Villescas led a petition opposing the state's school-day ban, arguing that schools should teach responsible use instead of enforcing blanket restrictions. 'It is our proposition that rather than banning cellphone use entirely, schools should impart guidelines on responsible use,' she wrote. Her campaign has highlighted a growing generational divide in the debate—between adults eager to limit digital exposure and teens who see their phones as lifelines for expression, identity, and connection. A policy without a price tag Despite the enthusiasm from lawmakers, most of these regulations have come without funding. Lockable pouches, storage cabinets, and enforcement training all cost money—something most states haven't provided. New York is one of the few exceptions, pledging $13.5 million to aid implementation. In New Hampshire, a proposed $1 million funding provision was stripped from the final bill. Nathan Hoffman of ExcelinEd notes that while funding eases the rollout, many states are proceeding without it. America's schools are undergoing a profound transformation—one that challenges not only how students learn but how they live. The cellphone debate touches every corner of modern youth culture: Mental health, discipline, privacy, pedagogy, and safety. And as more states prepare to act, the coming years will test whether this seismic shift leads to deeper student engagement or drives an even greater disconnect between schools and the students they're meant to serve. For now, one truth is undeniable: The age of unrestricted phone use in American classrooms is coming to a close. Whether it heralds a better future or deeper friction remains to be seen. Invest in Their Tomorrow, Today: Equip your child with the essential AI skills for a future brimming with possibilities | Join Now
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Business Standard
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Business Standard
Most US states now restrict cellphone use in schools, with more to follow
Florida was the first state to pass a law regulating the use of cellphones in schools in 2023. Just two years later, more than half of all states have laws in place, with more likely to act soon. Bills have sprinted through legislatures this year in states as varied as New York and Oklahoma, reflecting a broad consensus that phones are bad for kids. Connecticut state Rep Jennifer Leeper, a Democrat and co-chair of the General Assembly's Education Committee, on May 13 called phones a cancer on our kids that are driving isolation, loneliness, decreasing attention and having major impacts both on social-emotional well-being but also learning. Republicans express similar sentiments. This is a not just an academic bill, Republican Rep Scott Hilton said after Georgia's bill, which only bans phones in grades K-8, passed in March. This is a mental health bill. It's a public safety bill. So far, 26 states have passed laws, with eight other states and the District of Columbia implementing rules or making recommendations to local districts. Of the states, 17 have acted this year. Just Tuesday, Nebraska Republican Gov Jim Pillen signed a law banning phones throughout the school day. Earlier Tuesday, Alaska lawmakers required schools to regulate cellphones when they overrode an education package Republican Gov Mike Dunleavy had vetoed for unrelated reasons. More action is coming as bills await a governor's signature or veto in Florida, Missouri, Nebraska and New Hampshire. Increasing focus on banning phones throughout the school day When Florida first acted, lawmakers ordered schools to ban phones during instructional time while allowing them between classes or at lunch. But now there's another bill awaiting Gov Ron DeSantis' action that goes further. It would ban phones for the entire school day for elementary and middle schools. Ten states and the District of Columbia have enacted school day bans, most for students in grades K-12, and they now outnumber the seven states with instructional time bans. North Dakota Republican Gov Kelly Armstrong called the ban throughout the school day that he signed into law a huge win". Teachers wanted it. Parents wanted it. Principals wanted it. School boards wanted it," Armstrong said. Armstrong recently visited a grade school with such a ban in place. He said he saw kids engaging with each other and laughing at tables during lunch. The bell-to-bell bans have been promoted in part by ExcelinEd, the education think tank founded by former Florida Gov Jeb Bush. The group's political affiliate has been active in lobbying for bans. Nathan Hoffman, ExcelinEd's senior director of state policy and advocacy, said barring phones throughout the day heads off problems outside of class, like when students set up or record fights in halls. That's often when you get some of your biggest behavioural issues, whether they go viral or not, Hoffman said. Other states want school districts to set their own rules But other states, particularly where there are strong traditions of local school control, are mandating only that school districts adopt some kind of cellphone policy, believing districts will take the hint and sharply restrict phone access. In Maine, where some lawmakers originally proposed a school day ban, lawmakers are now considering a rewritten bill that would only require a policy. And there have been a few states where lawmakers failed to act at all. Maybe the most dramatic was in Wyoming, where senators voted down a bill in January, with some opponents saying teachers or parents should set the rules. Where policymakers have moved ahead, there's a growing consensus around exceptions. Most states are letting students use electronic devices to monitor medical needs and meet the terms of their special education plans. Some are allowing exceptions for translation devices if English isn't a student's first language or when a teacher wants students to use devices for classwork. There are some unusual exceptions, too. South Carolina's original policy allowed an exception for students who are volunteer firefighters. West Virginia's new law allows smartwatches as long as they are not being used for communication. Some parents and students oppose the rules But by far the most high-profile exception has been allowing cellphone use in case of emergencies. One of the most common parent objections to a ban is that they would not be able to contact their child in a crisis like a school shooting. It was only through text messages that parents knew what was happening," said Tinya Brown, whose daughter is a freshman at Apalachee High School, northeast of Atlanta, where a shooting killed two students and two teachers in September. She spoke against Georgia's law at a news conference in March. Some laws call for schools to find other ways for parents to communicate with their children at schools, but most lawmakers say they support giving students access to their cellphones, at least after the immediate danger has passed, during an emergency. In some states, students have testified in favour of regulations, but it's also clear that many students, especially in high schools, are chafing under the rules. Kaytlin Villescas, a sophomore at Prairieville High School, in the suburbs of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is one student who took up the fight against bans, starting a petition and telling WBRZ-TV in August that Louisiana's law requiring a school day ban is misguided. She argued that schools should instead teach responsible use. It is our proposition that rather than banning cellphone use entirely, schools should impart guidelines on responsible use, thereby building a culture of respect and self-regulation, Villescas wrote in an online petition. Most states provide no funding to carry out laws A few states have provided money for districts to buy lockable phone storage pouches or other storage solutions. New York, for example, plans to spend $13.5 million. But states have typically provided no cash. New Hampshire lawmakers stripped a proposed $1 million from their bill. Providing some specific money for this would kind of ease some of those implementation challenges, Hoffman said. That said, most states have not.
NBC News
21-05-2025
- Politics
- NBC News
Half of U.S. states now have laws banning or regulating cellphones in schools, with more to follow
ATLANTA — Florida was the first state to pass a law regulating the use of cellphones in schools in 2023. Just two years later, half of all states have laws in place, with more likely to act soon. Bills have sprinted through legislatures this year in states as varied as New York and Oklahoma, reflecting a broad consensus that phones are bad for kids. Connecticut state Rep. Jennifer Leeper, a Democrat and co-chair of the General Assembly's Education Committee, on May 13 called phones 'a cancer on our kids' that are 'driving isolation, loneliness, decreasing attention and having major impacts both on social-emotional well-being but also learning.' Republicans express similar sentiments. 'This is a not just an academic bill,' Republican Rep. Scott Hilton said after Georgia's bill, which only bans phones in grades K-8, passed in March. 'This is a mental health bill. It's a public safety bill.' So far, 25 states have passed laws, with eight other states and the District of Columbia implementing rules or making recommendations to local districts. Of the states, 16 have acted this year. Just Tuesday, Alaska lawmakers required schools to regulate cellphones when they overrode an education package that Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy had vetoed for unrelated reasons. More action is coming as bills await a governor's signature or veto in Florida, Missouri, Nebraska and New Hampshire. Increasing focus on banning phones throughout the school day When Florida first acted, lawmakers ordered schools to ban phones during instructional time while allowing them between classes or at lunch. But now there's another bill awaiting Gov. Ron DeSantis' action that goes further. It would ban phones for the entire school day for elementary and middle schools. Nine states and the District of Columbia have enacted school day bans, most for students in grades K-12, and they now outnumber the seven states with instructional time bans. North Dakota Republican Gov. Kelly Armstrong called the ban throughout the school day that he signed into law 'a huge win.' 'Teachers wanted it. Parents wanted it. Principals wanted it. School boards wanted it,' Armstrong said. Armstrong recently visited a grade school with such a ban in place. He said he saw kids engaging with each other and laughing at tables during lunch. The 'bell-to-bell' bans have been promoted in part by ExcelinEd, the education think tank founded by former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush. The group's political affiliate has been active in lobbying for bans. Nathan Hoffman, ExcelinEd's senior director of state policy and advocacy, said barring phones throughout the day heads off problems outside of class, like when students set up or record fights in halls. 'That's often when you get some of your biggest behavioral issues, whether they go viral or not,' Hoffman said. Other states want school districts to set their own rules But other states, particularly where there are strong traditions of local school control, are mandating only that school districts adopt some kind of cellphone policy, believing districts will take the hint and sharply restrict phone access. In Maine, where some lawmakers originally proposed a school day ban, lawmakers are now considering a rewritten bill that would only require a policy. And there have been a few states where lawmakers failed to act at all. Maybe the most dramatic was in Wyoming, where senators voted down a bill in January, with some opponents saying teachers or parents should set the rules. Where policymakers have moved ahead, there's a growing consensus around exceptions. Most states are letting students use electronic devices to monitor medical needs and meet the terms of their special education plans. Some are allowing exceptions for translation devices if English isn't a student's first language or when a teacher wants students to use devices for classwork. There are some unusual exceptions, too. South Carolina's original policy allowed an exception for students who are volunteer firefighters. West Virginia's new law allows smartwatches as long as they are not being used for communication. Some parents and students oppose the rules But by far the most high-profile exception has been allowing cellphone use in case of emergencies. One of the most common parent objections to a ban is that they would not be able to contact their child in a crisis like a school shooting. 'It was only through text messages that parents knew what was happening,' said Tinya Brown, whose daughter is a freshman at Apalachee High School, northeast of Atlanta, where a shooting killed two students and two teachers in September. She spoke against Georgia's law at a news conference in March. Some laws call for schools to find other ways for parents to communicate with their children at schools, but most lawmakers say they support giving students access to their cellphones, at least after the immediate danger has passed, during an emergency. In some states, students have testified in favor of regulations, but it's also clear that many students, especially in high schools, are chafing under the rules. Kaytlin Villescas, a sophomore at Prairieville High School, in the suburbs of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is one student who took up the fight against bans, starting a petition and telling WBRZ-TV in August that Louisiana's law requiring a school day ban is misguided. She argued that schools should instead teach responsible use. 'It is our proposition that rather than banning cellphone use entirely, schools should impart guidelines on responsible use, thereby building a culture of respect and self-regulation,' Villescas wrote in an online petition. Most states provide no funding to carry out laws A few states have provided money for districts to buy lockable phone storage pouches or other storage solutions. New York, for example, plans to spend $13.5 million. But states have typically provided no cash. New Hampshire lawmakers stripped a proposed $1 million from their bill. 'Providing some specific money for this would kind of ease some of those implementation challenges,' Hoffman said. 'That said, most states have not.'
21-05-2025
- Politics
Half of US states now have laws banning or regulating cellphones in schools, with more to follow
ATLANTA -- Florida was the first state to pass a law regulating the use of cellphones in schools in 2023. Just two years later, half of all states have laws in place, with more likely to act soon. Bills have sprinted through legislatures this year in states as varied as New York and Oklahoma, reflecting a broad consensus that phones are bad for kids. Connecticut state Rep. Jennifer Leeper, a Democrat and co-chair of the General Assembly's Education Committee, on May 13 called phones 'a cancer on our kids' that are 'driving isolation, loneliness, decreasing attention and having major impacts both on social-emotional well-being but also learning.' Republicans express similar sentiments. 'This is a not just an academic bill,' Republican Rep. Scott Hilton said after Georgia's bill, which only bans phones in grades K-8, passed in March. 'This is a mental health bill. It's a public safety bill.' So far, 25 states have passed laws, with eight other states and the District of Columbia implementing rules or making recommendations to local districts. Of the states, 16 have acted this year. Just Tuesday, Alaska lawmakers required schools to regulate cellphones when they overrode an education package that Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy had vetoed for unrelated reasons. More action is coming as bills await a governor's signature or veto in Florida, Missouri, Nebraska and New Hampshire. When Florida first acted, lawmakers ordered schools to ban phones during instructional time while allowing them between classes or at lunch. But now there's another bill awaiting Gov. Ron DeSantis' action that goes further. It would ban phones for the entire school day for elementary and middle schools. Nine states and the District of Columbia have enacted school day bans, most for students in grades K-12, and they now outnumber the seven states with instructional time bans. North Dakota Republican Gov. Kelly Armstrong called the ban throughout the school day that he signed into law 'a huge win." 'Teachers wanted it. Parents wanted it. Principals wanted it. School boards wanted it," Armstrong said. Armstrong recently visited a grade school with such a ban in place. He said he saw kids engaging with each other and laughing at tables during lunch. The 'bell-to-bell' bans have been promoted in part by ExcelinEd, the education think tank founded by former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush. The group's political affiliate has been active in lobbying for bans. Nathan Hoffman, ExcelinEd's senior director of state policy and advocacy, said barring phones throughout the day heads off problems outside of class, like when students set up or record fights in halls. 'That's often when you get some of your biggest behavioral issues, whether they go viral or not,' Hoffman said. But other states, particularly where there are strong traditions of local school control, are mandating only that school districts adopt some kind of cellphone policy, believing districts will take the hint and sharply restrict phone access. In Maine, where some lawmakers originally proposed a school day ban, lawmakers are now considering a rewritten bill that would only require a policy. And there have been a few states where lawmakers failed to act at all. Maybe the most dramatic was in Wyoming, where senators voted down a bill in January, with some opponents saying teachers or parents should set the rules. Where policymakers have moved ahead, there's a growing consensus around exceptions. Most states are letting students use electronic devices to monitor medical needs and meet the terms of their special education plans. Some are allowing exceptions for translation devices if English isn't a student's first language or when a teacher wants students to use devices for classwork. There are some unusual exceptions, too. South Carolina's original policy allowed an exception for students who are volunteer firefighters. West Virginia's new law allows smartwatches as long as they are not being used for communication. But by far the most high-profile exception has been allowing cellphone use in case of emergencies. One of the most common parent objections to a ban is that they would not be able to contact their child in a crisis like a school shooting. 'It was only through text messages that parents knew what was happening," said Tinya Brown, whose daughter is a freshman at Apalachee High School, northeast of Atlanta, where a shooting killed two students and two teachers in September. She spoke against Georgia's law at a news conference in March. Some laws call for schools to find other ways for parents to communicate with their children at schools, but most lawmakers say they support giving students access to their cellphones, at least after the immediate danger has passed, during an emergency. In some states, students have testified in favor of regulations, but it's also clear that many students, especially in high schools, are chafing under the rules. Kaytlin Villescas, a sophomore at Prairieville High School, in the suburbs of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is one student who took up the fight against bans, starting a petition and telling WBRZ-TV in August that Louisiana's law requiring a school day ban is misguided. She argued that schools should instead teach responsible use. 'It is our proposition that rather than banning cellphone use entirely, schools should impart guidelines on responsible use, thereby building a culture of respect and self-regulation,' Villescas wrote in an online petition. A few states have provided money for districts to buy lockable phone storage pouches or other storage solutions. New York, for example, plans to spend $13.5 million. But states have typically provided no cash. New Hampshire lawmakers stripped a proposed $1 million from their bill. 'Providing some specific money for this would kind of ease some of those implementation challenges,' Hoffman said. 'That said, most states have not."
Mint
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Mint
Half of US states now have laws banning or regulating cellphones in schools, with more to follow
ATLANTA — Florida was the first state to pass a law regulating the use of cellphones in schools in 2023. Just two years later, half of all states have laws in place, with more likely to act soon. Bills have sprinted through legislatures this year in states as varied as New York and Oklahoma, reflecting a broad consensus that phones are bad for kids. Connecticut state Rep. Jennifer Leeper, a Democrat and co-chair of the General Assembly's Education Committee, on May 13 called phones 'a cancer on our kids' that are 'driving isolation, loneliness, decreasing attention and having major impacts both on social-emotional well-being but also learning.' Republicans express similar sentiments. 'This is a not just an academic bill,' Republican Rep. Scott Hilton said after Georgia's bill, which only bans phones in grades K-8, passed in March. 'This is a mental health bill. It's a public safety bill.' So far, 25 states have passed laws, with eight other states and the District of Columbia implementing rules or making recommendations to local districts. Of the states, 16 have acted this year. Just Tuesday, Alaska lawmakers required schools to regulate cellphones when they overrode an education package that Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy had vetoed for unrelated reasons. More action is coming as bills await a governor's signature or veto in Florida, Missouri, Nebraska and New Hampshire. When Florida first acted, lawmakers ordered schools to ban phones during instructional time while allowing them between classes or at lunch. But now there's another bill awaiting Gov. Ron DeSantis' action that goes further. It would ban phones for the entire school day for elementary and middle schools. Nine states and the District of Columbia have enacted school day bans, most for students in grades K-12, and they now outnumber the seven states with instructional time bans. North Dakota Republican Gov. Kelly Armstrong called the ban throughout the school day that he signed into law 'a huge win." 'Teachers wanted it. Parents wanted it. Principals wanted it. School boards wanted it," Armstrong said. Armstrong recently visited a grade school with such a ban in place. He said he saw kids engaging with each other and laughing at tables during lunch. The 'bell-to-bell' bans have been promoted in part by ExcelinEd, the education think tank founded by former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush. The group's political affiliate has been active in lobbying for bans. Nathan Hoffman, ExcelinEd's senior director of state policy and advocacy, said barring phones throughout the day heads off problems outside of class, like when students set up or record fights in halls. 'That's often when you get some of your biggest behavioral issues, whether they go viral or not,' Hoffman said. But other states, particularly where there are strong traditions of local school control, are mandating only that school districts adopt some kind of cellphone policy, believing districts will take the hint and sharply restrict phone access. In Maine, where some lawmakers originally proposed a school day ban, lawmakers are now considering a rewritten bill that would only require a policy. And there have been a few states where lawmakers failed to act at all. Maybe the most dramatic was in Wyoming, where senators voted down a bill in January, with some opponents saying teachers or parents should set the rules. Where policymakers have moved ahead, there's a growing consensus around exceptions. Most states are letting students use electronic devices to monitor medical needs and meet the terms of their special education plans. Some are allowing exceptions for translation devices if English isn't a student's first language or when a teacher wants students to use devices for classwork. There are some unusual exceptions, too. South Carolina's original policy allowed an exception for students who are volunteer firefighters. West Virginia's new law allows smartwatches as long as they are not being used for communication. But by far the most high-profile exception has been allowing cellphone use in case of emergencies. One of the most common parent objections to a ban is that they would not be able to contact their child in a crisis like a school shooting. 'It was only through text messages that parents knew what was happening," said Tinya Brown, whose daughter is a freshman at Apalachee High School, northeast of Atlanta, where a shooting killed two students and two teachers in September. She spoke against Georgia's law at a news conference in March. Some laws call for schools to find other ways for parents to communicate with their children at schools, but most lawmakers say they support giving students access to their cellphones, at least after the immediate danger has passed, during an emergency. In some states, students have testified in favor of regulations, but it's also clear that many students, especially in high schools, are chafing under the rules. Kaytlin Villescas, a sophomore at Prairieville High School, in the suburbs of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is one student who took up the fight against bans, starting a petition and telling WBRZ-TV in August that Louisiana's law requiring a school day ban is misguided. She argued that schools should instead teach responsible use. 'It is our proposition that rather than banning cellphone use entirely, schools should impart guidelines on responsible use, thereby building a culture of respect and self-regulation,' Villescas wrote in an online petition. A few states have provided money for districts to buy lockable phone storage pouches or other storage solutions. New York, for example, plans to spend $13.5 million. But states have typically provided no cash. New Hampshire lawmakers stripped a proposed $1 million from their bill. 'Providing some specific money for this would kind of ease some of those implementation challenges,' Hoffman said. 'That said, most states have not." Associated Press reporters Becky Bohrer in Juneau, Alaska; Susan Haigh in Hartford, Connecticut; Jack Dura in Bismarck, North Dakota; and Kate Payne in Tallahassee, Florida, contributed.
