Should Schools Ban Cell Phones in the Classroom? (1 Viewer)

[Max Power]

What RFK Jr. Thinks Schools Ought To Do About Cellphones

At least 19 states have laws or policies that ban or restrict students’ use of cellphones in schools, according to EdWeek's tracker.

www.edweek.org

the secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is on board with banning students’ cellphone use in schools.

The secretary, in a March 20 interview with “Fox & Friends,” applauded the states with restrictions on when students can use their personal devices while in school, saying cellphones have a negative effect on students’ mental health and academic performance.

“Cellphone use and social media use on the cellphone has been directly connected with depression, with poor performance in schools, with suicidal ideation, with substance abuse,” Kennedy said.

At least 19 states have laws or policies that ban or restrict students’ use of cellphones in schools statewide or recommend local districts enact their own bans or restrictive policies, according to an Education Week analysis. Lawmakers in six additional states have passed bills restricting cellphone use in schools and are awaiting signatures from their governors.

Districts have met these directives in a variety of ways. Some require students to lock up their phones in specially designed pouches at the start of the school day. Others allow students to use their cellphones between classes and during lunch periods, but they must be stowed away during class time. Still others have left cellphone policies up to teachers to create for their individual classrooms.

A spokesperson for HHS did not immediately respond to questions about whether this will be a top priority for the secretary.

Cellphone-use restrictions have gained strong momentum as a policy solution to widespread concerns about students’ academic, social-emotional, and mental well-being.

Growing number of analyses link cellphone use to poor academic performance​

Indeed, a growing number of studies have linked children’s use of smartphones and social media with mental health challenges and poor academic performance.

A 2023 systematic review published in the journal BMC Psychology found that screen time was associated with problems in teens’ mental well-being, and that social media was linked to an increased risk of depression in girls. A 2025 meta-analysis published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology found a negative association between smartphone use, social media use, video game playing, and students’ academic performance.

Some experts say, however, that there isn’t enough research on whether cellphone bans are effective. And others say a ban on students’ cellphone use might not be the cure to the worsening mental health of young people.

“You can actually treat the consequences or treat the symptoms of what’s happening with a total cellphone ban, but you’re not treating the cause,” said Lisa Strohman, a clinical psychologist who specializes in technology overuse. “That’s because we don’t [educate] ... our kids” about healthy cellphone use.

Schools and families should be educating their kids on how to have better relationships with their personal devices and providing support for them to be able to do that, Strohman added. Otherwise, the kids get their phones back at the end of the school day if there is a ban and then use them in unhealthy ways when they are not in school.

 

[Dan Lambskin]

As prevalent as school shootings are in this country I want my kids to have access to their phone at all times
That said I don’t want them on it in the middle of class or distracting them from their daily work

 

[Max Power]

I know we've hit on this in a couple different threads, but the movement is gaining momentum, and I support it. 25 States have or are about to pass legislation to restrict cell phones in the classroom.

I have four teenaged kids and two of them have serious cell phone addictions. Only one has a problem with it in school, but she is getting better about how often she gets on it. The school doesn't do anything except tell her to put it away when they catch her on it. She's gets good grades, so it's hard to get too upset with her, but it still bothers me.

 

[BeTheMatch]

As prevalent as school shootings are in this country I want my kids to have access to their phone at all times
That said I don’t want them on it in the middle of class or distracting them from their daily work

I'm pretty sure there will be many, many staff members with a phone that could call police.

If you want them to be able to contact you, the way I've seen schools implement it is that the kids place their phone in a caddy designated for them when they walk into each classroom for the period. So they would still be almost immediately accessible to every kid, just not at their desk.

 

[zamboni]

I think it's easy to say "back in our day, we didn't even have payphones in schools and we turned out fine", but the world is much different now. I also think it's a reasonable compromise to have kids give their phones to their teachers at the beginning of each class, or perhaps even requiring them to lock them up for the day.

 

[El Floppo]

I want both my teen kids to have access to their phones, in school or anywhere else.

But I do think admins & teachers should ban their use during class... Except for emergencies. Kids have to learn how to handle this, behave appropriately or face any consequences.

 

[BeTheMatch]

The negatives to kids having phones in school outweigh the positives by a factor of about a bajillion to 1.

 

[El Floppo]

As prevalent as school shootings are in this country I want my kids to have access to their phone at all times
That said I don’t want them on it in the middle of class or distracting them from their daily work

I'm pretty sure there will be many, many staff members with a phone that could call police.

If you want them to be able to contact you, the way I've seen schools implement it is that the kids place their phone in a caddy designated for them when they walk into each classroom for the period. So they would still be almost immediately accessible to every kid, just not at their desk.

My 8th grade daughter has to put hers in a sealed pouch while at school. My 12th grade son has no restrictions.

 

[Ilov80s]

The tougher part is ofc enforcing it. As it will come as no surprise, kids will go to great lengths to get away with having their phones. It require teachers to be really militant and there has to be a plan in place to handle kids who refuse. And then what to do with the parents who are unsupportive of the policy? It might be a surprise but parents contact their kids during school as much or more than their friends do. Many have similar safety concerns that posters here brought up. Also it gets a little tricky because some kids depend on the phones educationally. Like kids with visual impairments may take pictures and zoom in or EL kids may use the phone to translate everything they see through the day.

But yes the phone is a huge problem and what I’m seeing from the current crop of teens is scary. I’ve taught for 18 years and generally thought most complaints about the kids these days were off base but we hit a tipping point and it’s a national disaster.

 

[KarmaPolice]

Yes, but I think we just ban cell phones in general.

 

[Max Power]

But yes the phone is a huge problem and what I’m seeing from the current crop of teens is scary. I’ve taught for 18 years and generally thought most complaints about the kids these days were off base but we hit a tipping point and it’s a national disaster.

Are you referring to their constant need to check or be on their phone?

 

[Ilov80s]

But yes the phone is a huge problem and what I’m seeing from the current crop of teens is scary. I’ve taught for 18 years and generally thought most complaints about the kids these days were off base but we hit a tipping point and it’s a national disaster.

Are you referring to their constant need to check or be on their phone?

Addiction to being on it, especially TikTok. No attention span and at all and just being generally ignorant, having poor social skills, lack of basic skills, not curious and not interested in problem solving. Of course this isn’t every kid but in general it’s scary how many kids go to their calculator for things like 6+7 or 3x5 for example. It’s like working with zombies.

 

[SWC]

cell phone in a backpack ready to go if there is an emergency aok cell phone out during a normal class go to detention take that to the bank brohans

 

[Gally]

It should be as simple as they have to turn the phone off as they enter the classroom. But as it's pointed out by 80's the real issue is enforcement. You can have the rule in place but if not enforced consistently by all teachers it loses its purpose.

 

[SWC]

i mean i dont even care if the phone is on silent and powered up in a backpack thats fine i guess maybe the deal is no phone on your person and backpacks where they are not readily accessible to kids so they cant pull out the phone and cheat with it see my thing is if you are going to cheat you have to do it honest by writing stuff really really really small on a piece of paper or your arm or something you have to earn it take that to the bank brochachos

 

[Gally]

it’s scary how many kids go to their calculator for things like 6+7 or 3x5 for example. It’s like working with zombies.

The world really is heading to Idiocracy. Nobody has to think for themselves because they can just look it up. That's fine for some things but simple reasoning and having their own thoughts will become an issue.

Kids should have to learn how to do things themselves before being allowed to use the tools to help them (like simple math/calculator) because if you don't know how it "works" you won't be able to tell if it is wrong when something malfunctions.

 

[Max Power]

But yes the phone is a huge problem and what I’m seeing from the current crop of teens is scary. I’ve taught for 18 years and generally thought most complaints about the kids these days were off base but we hit a tipping point and it’s a national disaster.

Are you referring to their constant need to check or be on their phone?

Addiction to being on it, especially TikTok. No attention span and at all and just being generally ignorant, having poor social skills, lack of basic skills, not curious and not interested in problem solving. Of course this isn’t every kid but in general it’s scary how many kids go to their calculator for things like 6+7 or 3x5 for example. It’s like working with zombies.

It scares me with my youngest. She's incredibly smart and has so much potential, but she celebrates her ignorance often and it drives me crazy. Her spelling isn't great and when I talk to her about it, she doesn't care because spell check is on everything and "only old people care if a word is spelled correctly".

 

[msudaisy26]

I want both my teen kids to have access to their phones, in school or anywhere else.

But I do think admins & teachers should ban their use during class... Except for emergencies. Kids have to learn how to handle this, behave appropriately or face any consequences.

This is where I am at. Plus banning them isn't the solution. Teaching them how to responsibility use their phones and knowing when it is appropriate to have them out and when not to have them out is what is needed.

 

[TennesseeJed]

I know we've hit on this in a couple different threads, but the movement is gaining momentum, and I support it. 25 States have or are about to pass legislation to restrict cell phones in the classroom.

I have four teenaged kids and two of them have serious cell phone addictions. Only one has a problem with it in school, but she is getting better about how often she gets on it. The school doesn't do anything except tell her to put it away when they catch her on it. She's gets good grades, so it's hard to get too upset with her, but it still bothers me.

Isn't this more about personal responsibility, and less about needing a nanny state?

 

[B Maverick]

So my 16 yo attends HS that requires devices. They had iPads for awhile in elementary school but now everyone has chromebooks. Anything she does on the phone she can do on her chromebook.

They used to have to turn in their phones to the tub when they arrived, but I do not get the feeling they do now. She told me one teacher even allows them to periodically check their phones.

Not sure how I feel about it, never really thought about it since she gets good grades and doesn't get into trouble. Like anything, I think it can be handled in a way that is best for the majority. Banning them completely may cause more issues. Free use may as well. May present a good teaching moment for appropriate usage.

 

[Gally]

Plus banning them isn't the solution. Teaching them how to responsibility use their phones and knowing when it is appropriate to have them out and when not to have them out is what is needed.

Exactly this but this hinges on consistent enforcement and consequences if you don't use them responsibly (following the rules).

My guess is most schools already have a "no phone in class" rule but they aren't enforced consistently. Makes it harder on the teachers but until that happens nothing will really change.

 

[zamboni]

But yes the phone is a huge problem and what I’m seeing from the current crop of teens is scary. I’ve taught for 18 years and generally thought most complaints about the kids these days were off base but we hit a tipping point and it’s a national disaster.

Are you referring to their constant need to check or be on their phone?

Addiction to being on it, especially TikTok. No attention span and at all and just being generally ignorant, having poor social skills, lack of basic skills, not curious and not interested in problem solving. Of course this isn’t every kid but in general it’s scary how many kids go to their calculator for things like 6+7 or 3x5 for example. It’s like working with zombies.

Just tell her no

 

[Ilov80s]

it’s scary how many kids go to their calculator for things like 6+7 or 3x5 for example. It’s like working with zombies.

The world really is heading to Idiocracy. Nobody has to think for themselves because they can just look it up. That's fine for some things but simple reasoning and having their own thoughts will become an issue.

Kids should have to learn how to do things themselves before being allowed to use the tools to help them (like simple math/calculator) because if you don't know how it "works" you won't be able to tell if it is wrong when something malfunctions.

I mean obviously they were taught how to in elementary school but it doesn’t stick obviously. I mean I’ve taught some of those kids how to solve 1 step equations for 6 months this year and some of them still can’t remember.

 

[Ilov80s]

And the use of AI and copying is nuts. Kids don’t even pay attention to what they copy. Had a kid doing a paper on Muhammad Ali and this kid (who is 15 and Muslim) went from taking about boxing and Olympics to how Muhammad founded the religion of Islam in the year 622. When I brought this up and pointed out how silly it was, she didn’t even seem to fully grasp what I meant.

 

[zamboni]

And the use of AI and copying is nuts.

This is a whole other issue that is likely going to profoundly affect our education system in the coming years. But that's for another thread.

 

[Max Power]

I know we've hit on this in a couple different threads, but the movement is gaining momentum, and I support it. 25 States have or are about to pass legislation to restrict cell phones in the classroom.

I have four teenaged kids and two of them have serious cell phone addictions. Only one has a problem with it in school, but she is getting better about how often she gets on it. The school doesn't do anything except tell her to put it away when they catch her on it. She's gets good grades, so it's hard to get too upset with her, but it still bothers me.

Isn't this more about personal responsibility, and less about needing a nanny state?

Personal responsibility on a teenager is a tough ask. Some kids brains just aren't developed enough for those concepts. Parents should also be teaching their kids appropriate cell phone etiquette, but honestly that isn't happening on a societal level.

I think schools and states need to do more to limit distractions in schools. There is plenty of evidence that increased cell phone usage is leading to poorer academic outcomes and less learning. That is the real heart of the problem here.

 

[Max Power]

And the use of AI and copying is nuts. Kids don’t even pay attention to what they copy. Had a kid doing a paper on Muhammad Ali and this kid (who is 15 and Muslim) went from taking about boxing and Olympics to how Muhammad founded the religion of Islam in the year 622. When I brought this up and pointed out how silly it was, she didn’t even seem to fully grasp what I meant.

It's not funny, but kind of funny. That presentation would have been wild...

 

[wlwiles]

I have a HS sophomore nephew and his school just implemented a new policy after Christmas that so far we hear seems to be working fairly well.
Kids can have their phones in their possession, but if they're caught on it at all during class time, the teacher takes the phone, and it's returned to the student at the end of class. Get caught more than X times within a week/month and you then have to give you phone to the teacher as you enter class (it's still returned at the end).
If you're on the "surrender it at class start time" list and you don't surrender it, or you claim you left it home/in locker/whatever to get out of doing it, then you're given the benefit of the doubt. If the teacher then sees you on it subsequently, it's 4 hours of Saturday detention.

 

[Grace Under Pressure]

Don't care what your kid does or doesn’t do. Home school them if everything is such a problem for you/them.

 

[Ilov80s]

And the use of AI and copying is nuts.

This is a whole other issue that is likely going to profoundly affect our education system in the coming years. But that's for another thread.

not coming years, right now.

 

[FreeBaGeL]

I actually think this is silly. Let teachers restrict their usage in class, tell them not to have it out or whatever, that's totally fine. But collecting them to hold onto? That seems dumb.

This isn't anything new. Kids trying to sneak things they're not supposed to in class is an age old battle. Back in our day it was ti-83 calculators we could play games on and come up with ways to calculate 80085. Before that it was baseball cards and pogs or whatever.

 

[zamboni]

And the use of AI and copying is nuts.

This is a whole other issue that is likely going to profoundly affect our education system in the coming years. But that's for another thread.

not coming years, right now.

Fully agree - I meant more in terms of measurability.

 

[Ilov80s]

I actually think this is silly. Let teachers restrict their usage in class, tell them not to have it out or whatever, that's totally fine. But collecting them to hold onto? That seems dumb.

This isn't anything new. Kids trying to sneak things they're not supposed to in class is an age old battle. Back in our day it was ti-83 calculators we could play games on and come up with ways to calculate 80085. Before that it was baseball cards and pogs or whatever.

I promise you the games on your TI don’t compete with Tik Tok. It’s just not same. Many kids are literally addicted to their phones as bad as a drug user.

 

[Ilov80s]

And the use of AI and copying is nuts. Kids don’t even pay attention to what they copy. Had a kid doing a paper on Muhammad Ali and this kid (who is 15 and Muslim) went from taking about boxing and Olympics to how Muhammad founded the religion of Islam in the year 622. When I brought this up and pointed out how silly it was, she didn’t even seem to fully grasp what I meant.

It's not funny, but kind of funny. That presentation would have been wild...

The thing is it’s basically every kid. They just copy and paste whatever into google and then copy and paste whatever its AI answer says. I doubt they even read what they are copying and pasting most of the time. Even seeming simple like who was the leader of Fascist Italy and their answer is a college level definition of fascism and its impact on Italy. No even clue the question asked who and that means we need a person in the answer. It’s so bad. But there grades are good because pretty much any assignment now a kid can just put their phone camera on it and the AI tells them all the answers instantly. No need to even type or verbalize it to Siri anymore.

 

[Stinkin Ref]

I have a HS sophomore nephew and his school just implemented a new policy after Christmas that so far we hear seems to be working fairly well.
Kids can have their phones in their possession, but if they're caught on it at all during class time, the teacher takes the phone, and it's returned to the student at the end of class. Get caught more than X times within a week/month and you then have to give you phone to the teacher as you enter class (it's still returned at the end).
If you're on the "surrender it at class start time" list and you don't surrender it, or you claim you left it home/in locker/whatever to get out of doing it, then you're given the benefit of the doubt. If the teacher then sees you on it subsequently, it's 4 hours of Saturday detention.

teachers have much better things to do than playing cell phone police....what you listed seems exhausting....and no matter how you slice it, it makes a conflict between teacher and student that doesn't need to be there.....

I think the cell phone "garage" or whatever where the phones are put in prior to class is the only way to go....telling them to "turn it off but you can take it with you to your seat" when you enter class won't work.....they will turn it on 2 minutes later....IMO the only solution is not allowing them to have it at their desk....period...

 

[FreeBaGeL]

I actually think this is silly. Let teachers restrict their usage in class, tell them not to have it out or whatever, that's totally fine. But collecting them to hold onto? That seems dumb.

This isn't anything new. Kids trying to sneak things they're not supposed to in class is an age old battle. Back in our day it was ti-83 calculators we could play games on and come up with ways to calculate 80085. Before that it was baseball cards and pogs or whatever.

I promise you the games on your TI don’t compete with Tik Tok. It’s just not same. Many kids are literally addicted to their phones as bad as a drug user.

So let the teachers police it like they do any other device.

It's 11am on a Thursday and there are 40 posts in here already. Should states ban cellphones at work?

 

[Ilov80s]

I actually think this is silly. Let teachers restrict their usage in class, tell them not to have it out or whatever, that's totally fine. But collecting them to hold onto? That seems dumb.

This isn't anything new. Kids trying to sneak things they're not supposed to in class is an age old battle. Back in our day it was ti-83 calculators we could play games on and come up with ways to calculate 80085. Before that it was baseball cards and pogs or whatever.

I promise you the games on your TI don’t compete with Tik Tok. It’s just not same. Many kids are literally addicted to their phones as bad as a drug user.

So let the teachers police it like they do any other device.

It's 11am on a Thursday and there are 40 posts in here already. Should states ban cellphones at work?

I don’t think a law is a good idea. I’m just saying it’s not the same as the little bowling game in the old TI. It’s a national disaster in school and out of school. With adults too though like you said.

 

[Stinkin Ref]

I actually think this is silly. Let teachers restrict their usage in class, tell them not to have it out or whatever, that's totally fine. But collecting them to hold onto? That seems dumb.

This isn't anything new. Kids trying to sneak things they're not supposed to in class is an age old battle. Back in our day it was ti-83 calculators we could play games on and come up with ways to calculate 80085. Before that it was baseball cards and pogs or whatever.

I promise you the games on your TI don’t compete with Tik Tok. It’s just not same. Many kids are literally addicted to their phones as bad as a drug user.

So let the teachers police it like they do any other device.

It's 11am on a Thursday and there are 40 posts in here already. Should states ban cellphones at work?

I'm sure being cell phone police while trying to teach a curriculum and having to have that conflict and enforce it is what all these teachers thought about when they signed up....they have MUCH better things to do....and why put them in an unnecessary position to create a negative relationship with their students....this is something that should not be on the teacher's plate....they deal with enough other stuff.....this one is easy to separate them from...

 

[Max Power]

I actually think this is silly. Let teachers restrict their usage in class, tell them not to have it out or whatever, that's totally fine. But collecting them to hold onto? That seems dumb.

This isn't anything new. Kids trying to sneak things they're not supposed to in class is an age old battle. Back in our day it was ti-83 calculators we could play games on and come up with ways to calculate 80085. Before that it was baseball cards and pogs or whatever.

I promise you the games on your TI don’t compete with Tik Tok. It’s just not same. Many kids are literally addicted to their phones as bad as a drug user.

So let the teachers police it like they do any other device.

It's 11am on a Thursday and there are 40 posts in here already. Should states ban cellphones at work?

My cell phone is actually banned at work. Not allowed in the building at all.

I'm here on a laptop posting on a slow day. I'm not posting on this forum during meetings, training, or while performing my primary duties. FBGs is basically a virtual water cooler.

 

[Ilov80s]

I’ll take a law that says kids have to bring a pencil to school. That would be a good start too. Every hour it’s at least 3 kids with nothing to write with.

 

[FreeBaGeL]

I actually think this is silly. Let teachers restrict their usage in class, tell them not to have it out or whatever, that's totally fine. But collecting them to hold onto? That seems dumb.

This isn't anything new. Kids trying to sneak things they're not supposed to in class is an age old battle. Back in our day it was ti-83 calculators we could play games on and come up with ways to calculate 80085. Before that it was baseball cards and pogs or whatever.

I promise you the games on your TI don’t compete with Tik Tok. It’s just not same. Many kids are literally addicted to their phones as bad as a drug user.

So let the teachers police it like they do any other device.

It's 11am on a Thursday and there are 40 posts in here already. Should states ban cellphones at work?

I'm sure being cell phone police while trying to teach a curriculum and having to have that conflict and enforce it is what all these teachers thought about when they signed up....they have MUCH better things to do....and why put them in an unnecessary position to create a negative relationship with their students....this is something that should not be on the teacher's plate....they deal with enough other stuff.....this one is easy to separate them from...

Part of being a teacher is setting rules for your classroom and policing those things. It always has been. Just like part of being a boss is and always has been doing the same, like policing everyone in here posting at FBGs on the clock.

Making it a law is huge overreach.

And teachers are still going to have to police it all the same.

 

[Stinkin Ref]

I actually think this is silly. Let teachers restrict their usage in class, tell them not to have it out or whatever, that's totally fine. But collecting them to hold onto? That seems dumb.

This isn't anything new. Kids trying to sneak things they're not supposed to in class is an age old battle. Back in our day it was ti-83 calculators we could play games on and come up with ways to calculate 80085. Before that it was baseball cards and pogs or whatever.

I promise you the games on your TI don’t compete with Tik Tok. It’s just not same. Many kids are literally addicted to their phones as bad as a drug user.

So let the teachers police it like they do any other device.

It's 11am on a Thursday and there are 40 posts in here already. Should states ban cellphones at work?

I'm sure being cell phone police while trying to teach a curriculum and having to have that conflict and enforce it is what all these teachers thought about when they signed up....they have MUCH better things to do....and why put them in an unnecessary position to create a negative relationship with their students....this is something that should not be on the teacher's plate....they deal with enough other stuff.....this one is easy to separate them from...

Part of being a teacher is setting rules for your classroom and policing those things. It always has been. Just like part of being a boss is and always has been doing the same, like policing everyone in here posting at FBGs on the clock.

Making it a law is huge overreach.

And teachers are still going to have to police it all the same.

I'm not really giving a position on it being a law....I am just trying to take something off a teacher's plate....I get they have classroom rules....but this one is different...it just is....it's rampant and a nation wide problem in every school....this isn't a if you get caught throwing spit wads thing.....cell phones are on the next level in terms of being a distraction....if they put it in the garage when they walk in, the "policing" is over at that point....

 

[hockeymedic]

I have a HS sophomore nephew and his school just implemented a new policy after Christmas that so far we hear seems to be working fairly well.
Kids can have their phones in their possession, but if they're caught on it at all during class time, the teacher takes the phone, and it's returned to the student at the end of class. Get caught more than X times within a week/month and you then have to give you phone to the teacher as you enter class (it's still returned at the end).
If you're on the "surrender it at class start time" list and you don't surrender it, or you claim you left it home/in locker/whatever to get out of doing it, then you're given the benefit of the doubt. If the teacher then sees you on it subsequently, it's 4 hours of Saturday detention.

This an excellent policy, as it enforces personal responsibility. The "state" passing a law is too much of a reach and should be a local issue and a local solution.

 

[ChicoCat]

I'll defer to current teachers opinons on this....but alot of the anecdotal "outrage" I'm seeing over this is predominately from the "they don't teach cursive/they don't teach how to tell time from a clock face anymore" portion of our society.

That being said, if there is an district/state level implementation of this; it will probably last until there's a crisis in that area and the parents of students can't reach their children because their phones aren't available.

 

[FreeBaGeL]

I actually think this is silly. Let teachers restrict their usage in class, tell them not to have it out or whatever, that's totally fine. But collecting them to hold onto? That seems dumb.

This isn't anything new. Kids trying to sneak things they're not supposed to in class is an age old battle. Back in our day it was ti-83 calculators we could play games on and come up with ways to calculate 80085. Before that it was baseball cards and pogs or whatever.

I promise you the games on your TI don’t compete with Tik Tok. It’s just not same. Many kids are literally addicted to their phones as bad as a drug user.

So let the teachers police it like they do any other device.

It's 11am on a Thursday and there are 40 posts in here already. Should states ban cellphones at work?

I'm sure being cell phone police while trying to teach a curriculum and having to have that conflict and enforce it is what all these teachers thought about when they signed up....they have MUCH better things to do....and why put them in an unnecessary position to create a negative relationship with their students....this is something that should not be on the teacher's plate....they deal with enough other stuff.....this one is easy to separate them from...

Part of being a teacher is setting rules for your classroom and policing those things. It always has been. Just like part of being a boss is and always has been doing the same, like policing everyone in here posting at FBGs on the clock.

Making it a law is huge overreach.

And teachers are still going to have to police it all the same.

I'm not really giving a position on it being a law....I am just trying to take something off a teacher's plate....I get they have classroom rules....but this one is different...it just is....it's rampant and a nation wide problem in every school....this isn't a if you get caught throwing spit wads thing.....cell phones are on the next level in terms of being a distraction....if they put it in the garage when they walk in, the "policing" is over at that point....

Got it, and reasonable enough. To be fair to my point, the article quoted in the OP was about the US Dept of Health supporting laws that ban phone in schools state-wide.

Regardless, I don't see how this would take it off the teacher's plate anyway. It's not like they're going to have cops at the school with cellphone sniffing dogs arresting anyone that brings one. It's still going to be the same teachers policing it the same way whether it's a classroom rule or a state law.

 

[Osaurus]

With or without a case?

 

[BLOCKED_PUNT]

I am a little confused by this topic. When I was in HS we couldn't use our cell phones in class and no one did. Are kids just outright using them and teachers don't care enough/mostly helpless to do anything?

 

[Max Power]

I am a little confused by this topic. When I was in HS we couldn't use our cell phones in class and no one did. Are kids just outright using them and teachers don't care enough/mostly helpless to do anything?

Pretty much. There was a study where they found the average teenage student spent 1.5 hours in a 6.5 hour school day on their phone.

Kids spend a startling number of hours on their phones during school, study reveals

Researchers revealed the findings as talk about banning phones in schools increases, including in New York.

nypost.com

 

[BLOCKED_PUNT]

ok, I'm a big no on during class time but I think just having one in your backpack or locker and checking it between classes is fine. We had 15 mins between classes and 30 mins for lunch.

 

[BeTheMatch]

I want both my teen kids to have access to their phones, in school or anywhere else.

But I do think admins & teachers should ban their use during class... Except for emergencies. Kids have to learn how to handle this, behave appropriately or face any consequences.

This is where I am at. Plus banning them isn't the solution. Teaching them how to responsibility use their phones and knowing when it is appropriate to have them out and when not to have them out is what is needed.

It's inappropriate in class. Not letting them have them in class teaches them that.