08-03-2025
North Carolina Senate passes bill requiring cellphone ban in schools
HIGH POINT, N.C. (WGHP) — There is a big debate about what to do about cellphones in schools, and lawmakers are involved.
There is now a proposal to make it a state requirement for every district to come up with a policy that would ban cell phone use in the classroom.
The parents FOX8 spoke with said the idea is great for getting the kids to focus. It's complicated because they want to be able to get in touch with their kids if they need to.
'I think it is a whole new battle that teachers and parents and lawmakers are going to have to work together on to figure out, and I don't know if that will be an easy thing to do,' said Meaghan Eller from High Point.
Some districts, schools and even teachers already have a policy in place to put away the phone.
'While in the classroom, yes … If they want to have them between classes, reach out to their parents, that is fine, but during class time, it should be strictly attention to the teacher,' said Christopher Dalton from Lexington.
If signed into law, it would be up to the districts to implement and enforce their cell phone policy.
'I don't think cell phones should be in school, however, teachers are going to need more support to police that every single day,' Eller said.
Republican North Carolina Senator Amy Galey from Alamance County helped sponsor the bill.
'We need to support teachers in their goals to maintain order,' Galey said.
Currently, Guilford County Schools do not have a district-wide policy, but schools are allowed to set their own. The Alamance-Burlington School System also allows each school to figure out what is best for a cellphone policy.
Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools just implemented a district-wide policy this school year that says all wireless communication devices need to be off and kept away during the school day for middle and elementary students, and high schoolers can use them during lunch only.
The goal of this bill is to set a standard across all schools in North Carolina, get the kids to focus and reduce distractions.
The NC Senate passed the bill earlier this week with a 41-1 vote. Now, it heads to the North Carolina House, which also has a similar bill.
Galey expects there could be some version of the two bills on the governor's desk very soon. If signed off, the policies would need to be in place at the start of next school year.
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