13-02-2025
North Carolina House bill introduced to ban cellphones in class
RANDOLPH COUNTY, N.C. (WGHP) — State leaders are looking to crack down on cellphones in classrooms, aiming to reduce distractions during instruction.
A bill was introduced to the North Carolina House of Representatives this week.
Two of the primary co-sponsors of the bill are Representative Brian Biggs, who represents Randolph County, and Representative Neal Jackson, who represents Moore County and a portion of Randolph County.
If the House bill were to successfully pass, each school district across the state would have to have a cellphone-free policy.
'Kids don't need to be playing on their Internet … There's cheating opportunities, a whole lot of disadvantages when kids are playing on phones during class times,' Jackson said.
House Bill 87 Cell Phone-Free Education would restrict students from using cellphones in class and in other academic periods.
If passed, it would be up to each school district to determine how they want the policy enforced.
'We're giving them back the authority to work out the specifics and the details. So are they going to put them in magnetic pouches or are they going to have all of them placed in a pouch when the kids come in? Or is it going to be totally like Chatham County? Kids put it in the pouch at the beginning of the school day,' Jackson said.
Representative Tracy Clark, who represents Guilford County, is one of several legislators in support of the bill.
'As a parent of two children in our school system in Guilford County, we all know that phones are a distraction … We need to minimize distractions in order to increase learning and to support our teachers so that they can be effective in the classroom,' Clark said.
There's another version of this bill. Senate Bill 55 was filed in the North Carolina Senate and is titled Student Use of Wireless Communication Devices. It would address student use of different devices other than phones like laptops, tablets and two-way radios.
'Every minute that our children are in school needs to be directed as much as possible toward actual learning and actual instruction … We still have significant gaps that need to be made up in math, education and reading,' said Senator Amy Galey (R), NC Senate District 25.
If the House passes its version and the Senate passes its version, state leaders will go to a conference and try to work out the details of the policy banning cellphones in classrooms.
If the bills pass in the current session of the North Carolina General Assembly, they will go into effect next school year.
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