Several U.S. states and school districts are heeding calls for stricter rules or even an outright ban on student cell phone use.
Arizona is reportedly the latest state to try to limit use, with state lawmakers arguing that while districts can address the issue individually, broader legislation is needed.
In April, Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoed a bill that would have restricted cellphone use in Arizona public schools.
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Arizona Department of Education State Superintendent Tom Horn and others held a press conference last Thursday arguing that cell phone use should be banned in schools across the state.
Horne told a news conference that mobile phone use was a “serious problem” that was getting worse over time.
Arizona is the latest state to try to restrict cellphone use in schools, with state lawmakers arguing that while individual school districts can tackle the issue individually, broader legislation is needed. (iStock)
“Students can’t learn that way,” he said, noting that cell phones should instead be “put away during class.”
He also said mobile phone use has “become the heroin of our time…it is unthinkable that teachers should have to teach classes where students are scrolling through their phones.”
What other states say about cell phone use in schools
At least 11 U.S. states have passed or enacted laws banning or restricting student cellphone use in schools, or are encouraging local governments to enact their own restrictive policies, according to an analysis by Education Week magazine.
State lawmakers push for cell phone ban in schools
The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Board of Education voted in June to ban students from using smartphones.
LAUSD is the largest school district to institute a total ban on cell phones during class time and is mandated to implement the policy by January 2025.
At least 11 states have passed or enacted laws banning or restricting student cell phone use in schools statewide, or have recommended that local governments enact their own banning or restrictive policies. (iStock)
The California School Boards Association said it should be up to school districts, not the state, to decide whether to regulate smartphone use in the classroom.
“We support the bill [that] “This law gives school superintendents the authority to make policy decisions at the local level that reflect the concerns of their communities and what is needed to support students,” Troy Flint, a spokesman for the California School Boards Association, told The Associated Press.
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In July, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin issued an executive order to “support the implementation of cell phone ban education in Virginia schools,” directing the Virginia Department of Education to develop policies to remove cell phones from primary and secondary schools, according to the Virginia Department of Education’s website.
Some states have taken an incentive approach by launching programs to limit cell phone use during the day. (iStock)
In Connecticut, Governor Ned Lamont and the Connecticut State Board of Education released a position report on the issue and provided policy guidance to school districts to consider recommending the removal of cell phones from elementary and middle schools.
“The idea is to give children the freedom to learn without interruptions.”
Meanwhile, the Flint Community School District in Michigan enacted a law in January banning cell phone use in all school buildings, according to local reports.
Some states have taken an incentive approach by launching programs to limit cell phone use during the day.
“Not all kids struggle with cell phone use,” one expert said, “but for those who do, the impacts are certainly being seen in mental health clinics and psychiatric settings.” (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)
According to local reports, Arkansas, Delaware and Pennsylvania have introduced pouches for students to store their cell phones during class.
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“Arkansas’s cell phone free schools program is not about taking anything away, but about giving children the freedom to learn without distractions,” Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders told Fox News in an email.
“Approximately 75 percent of Arkansas school districts plan to join our effort, demonstrating widespread parent and teacher support for limiting cell phone use in schools.”
The “crowding out” effect
Dr. Willow Jenkins, a child psychiatrist at Rady Children’s Hospital and the University of California, San Diego, told Fox News Digital that the negative effects of cell phone use are common among children and teens.
“It’s not a black or white issue. [it’s] “It’s a pretty nuanced discussion because not all kids struggle with cellphone use,” she said.
“But for those people, the impacts are certainly being felt in mental health clinics and in psychiatry.”
Child psychiatrists told Fox News Digital that the negative effects of cell phone use are common among children and teens. (iStock)
Jenkins said the amount of time spent on devices was impacting children’s ability to engage in other activities, such as extracurricular activities and hobbies, creating a “crowding out effect”.
“Another issue is the content we view on our phones, because not all content is created equal,” she noted.
For example, some students may use their devices for school-related research, while others may view “harmful content.” Through social media.
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Jenkins warned that using mobile phones during free time at school, such as lunch and recess, can also hinder socialization.
“[When] When children are absorbed in their mobile phones and not interacting with the children around them, we worry about the impact on their social development as school is a place for academics and education. [also] There’s a social learning that goes along with it.”
Using mobile phones during free time at school, such as lunch and recess, can hinder socialization, experts have warned. (iStock)
With no-cellphone policies being implemented across the country, Jenkins said he hopes lawmakers and schools will be considerate of students who may need cellphones for medical reasons.
“There is a certain number of children who have been diagnosed with neurodevelopmental disorders and autism spectrum disorders who may be using devices to help them communicate,” she noted.
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Jenkins added that other students with underlying medical conditions, such as diabetes, may need to monitor their blood sugar levels and other conditions.
“I think we need to take all of these circumstances into account when we make rules.”
On the other hand, some parents argue that children should keep their cell phones with them during the day in case of an emergency and need to quickly contact mom, dad or a guardian.
Fox News Digital’s Landon Mion contributed to this report.
