It’s easy to say that phones should be banned in schools. In fact, doing so is much more complicated.

what is happening

As students across the country begin another school year, a growing number of them will be faced with tight new restrictions on when and where they can use their cell phones.

The push to ban phones in schools has gained major momentum over the past year. As of July 2023, 11 states have imposed new rules designed to limit student phone use in the classroom and on campus. That list is set to get longer. Virginia, Ohio and Minnesota have already adopted phone rules set to roll out next year. Several other states, including California and New York, are exploring their own bans.

Where there are no statewide laws, cities, districts and individual schools take action on their own.

Case for banning the phone

The movement behind phone-free schools is fueled by the belief that devices are detrimental to learning and damaging to students’ social and emotional health. More than 70% of high school teachers say cell phone distraction is a “major problem” in their classrooms. Many education experts also believe that phones fuel bullying, sexual misconduct, and even violence. In June, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy argued that keeping phones out of school is an important step in curbing the mental health crisis affecting America’s youth.

Not everyone agrees with banning phones in schools. Some of the most vocal opposition often comes from parents, who worry that not having access to a phone could make their children less safe. But the rapid spread of phone bans signals that across the country the anti-phone case is winning the argument.

Bans are not all created equal

For many schools, the decision to restrict phone use really begins the debate. That’s because there’s no consensus on what “banning phones” actually means.

A recent survey by Education Week shows the wide variation in how schools implement their cell phone policies. In many cases, phone bans only apply in the classroom. Students must store their devices during instructional periods, but are free to use them during breaks such as lunch or between classes. Other schools prohibit students from using their phones for the entire school day, often placing them in their locker or in sealed bags that can only be opened by a staff member at the end of the day. A small minority of schools ban phones entirely on campus, effectively forcing students to leave their devices at home.

Each of these strategies comes with its own benefits and drawbacks. Classroom-only bans are less likely to cause strong resistance from parents and students, but they can also be harder to enforce and still leave students vulnerable to potential damage from phones during class. lack of training. At the same time, not every school has the resources to spend $25 per student on bags to support the all-day ban. There is also concern that children may miss out on some of the positive aspects of the internet or face safety risks under the stricter policies, especially if they are not even allowed to bring their phones with them on the way to school. school.

Installing a phone ban also means enforcing it, and there’s a lot of debate about what the consequences should be when students inevitably violate the ban. Some cities take a hard line. In New Orleans, for example, students caught breaking the rules could have to pay a monetary fine, have their phone confiscated for days or weeks, and even be suspended or expelled for repeat violations. Other schools simply take the phone away until the end of the day or until a parent can come retrieve it.

Finally, there is the question of who should set these rules in the first place. Universal bans imposed by the state government or at the city level may have more authority and help ensure that every school follows the same rules, but could prevent schools or even individual teachers from adjusting their policies to fit the specific needs of their students.

Perspectives

Total bans are the only truly effective response

“Understandably, schools and individual school districts … are trying to crack down on smartphones. Students are required to store devices in backpacks or lockers during class, or place them in magnetic lock bags. In 2024, these efforts should go even further: to impose a total ban on bringing mobile phones to school, which parents should welcome and support.” — Editorial, Washington Post

Bans should only apply in the classroom

“During those in-between times … students can experience the mental health benefits of phone-free interactions, allowing them to grow socially and emotionally.” — Arlington Parents for Education board member Sheila Kelly for The 74

Schools must be careful not to overdo it with punishment

“We live in a time where punishing students — including things like confiscating their cell phones — is out of fashion. Schools have heard loud and clear that students are struggling, they are fragile, and building relationships is the priority. To make students feel welcome. Punitive discipline is alienating. … There is a tension between the prevailing desire to improve discipline and the need for consistent enforcement if we want fewer phones in the classroom.” —Tim Daly, Fordham Institute

Strong penalties are needed for bans to have any chance of working

“Limiting or banning cell phone use should be implemented in all school districts, with strict penalties that show students it’s not worth trying to ignore the rules.” —Ray Marcano, Columbus Dispatch

Schools must have the power to decide what works best for their students

“Mobile phones may be another harbinger, but blanket bans are ill-informed and regressive. … Educators in the field should choose for themselves when and whether to allow students to bring cell phones into the classroom so they can use learning apps to help students progress.” —Michael B. Horn, Education Next

Rules must be set at the top to ensure consistency and be followed

“District or statewide initiatives reach multiple schools, taking effect in schools in an area at or around the same time. This is preferable to a piecemeal approach that may leave some schools without a policy in place. By setting these rules at the top, it also frees school officials from the burden of making these decisions.” — Bryce Fiedler, Charlotte Observer

No one should pretend that banning phones will magically solve every problem

“Banning it won’t immediately cure all cyberbullying. It won’t immediately turn a D student into an A student. There are many more factors involved. And so you have to make sure that when you ban cell phones, it’s not just a symptom of a bigger problem that could be going on.” — Liz Kolb, professor of teacher education at the University of Michigan, to NPR

Phone bans only exacerbate the problems they are supposed to solve

“The Internet is the most powerful educational tool we have, and the phone … allows us to carry the Internet in our pockets. I wouldn’t want them to take my phone. … If we think we’re going to solve the problem by taking cell phones away from kids, we’re not. If anything, we add to their anxiety.” — Peter Gray, research professor of child psychology at Boston College, to Axios