Cell phone bans take effect at schools

RICHLAND CENTER, Wis (WRCO / WRCE) – As students start school this year, 17 states and the District of Columbia are imposing new cell phone restrictions.

In total, 35 states have passed laws or rules to limit student phone use in schools. Florida was the first state to pass a law limiting phones in classrooms in 2023, but the movement has spread rapidly. More states could enforce the restriction this year.

The push has been supported by Republicans and Democrats due to concerns about phones affecting mental health and learning. States have increasingly enacted full-day bans, also called “bell-to-bell” bans, although Georgia and Florida are only requiring such “bell-to-bell” bans for students in kindergarten through eighth grade. Another seven states are banning the use of devices during class time, but not between classes or during lunch periods.

In some cases, those laws don’t take effect until next year, but districts are acting before the 2025-26 school year starts. Other states, particularly those with traditions of local school control, are mandating only that schools adopt some kind of cellphone policy. But in many cases, school districts in those states are also moving to restrict or ban cellphone use even though the state does not require action.

RICHLAND SCHOOLS IMPOSE CELL PHONE USAGE BAN

Locally, the Richland School Board recently unanimously approved a bell-to-bell ban on cell phone usage at the high school which takes effect this school year. This new language restricts all cell phone use during the day. Numerous individuals reached out regarding this policy. Overall, the feedback that RCHS administration had with staff members and parents and guardians of RCHS students was overwhelmingly positive.

RCHS staff was also overwhelmingly in support of the change. A school psychologist also expressed support for the change because of the benefits of student mental health. Administrators also met with a representative from CESA 3 who asked for the language of the policy to share with other districts that are interested in exploring this change for their districts.

Richland School District Administration did say they would work things out for students who do need their phones for medical purposes, such as glucose monitoring, and they will continue to work on ways to make it feasible for students and staff.

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