Classroom digital detox: More schools are pulling the plug on phones

As students return to school this fall, pocket-sized distractions are officially out of bounds at a growing number of classrooms, as districts across the country roll out new restrictions on cellphone usage.

The lay of the land

17 US states plus Washington, DC, have introduced new rules limiting phones and other devices during school hours for this year, roughly doubling the overall total with such restrictions to 35 states.

• In 18 states and DC, devices are banned from “bell-to-bell.”
• Another seven states ban phones during class but allow them between periods or at lunch.
• The rest require school districts to have a policy limiting phone usage, but leave specifics up to local officials.

Supporters argue bans can help improve students’ focus, boost their learning by eliminating distractions, protect their mental health, and level the educational playing field in terms of access to technology. The push is rare bipartisan territory—from Arkansas to California, both Republican and Democratic lawmakers have championed limiting phone access in schools.

Not everyone is convinced. Many parents worry about their kids having access to phones in case of emergencies, like last Wednesday’s shooting at a Minneapolis Catholic school (though some say phones could be a detriment in such situations).

• Others express concern over everyday logistics that often rely on midday texts, like high-school students coordinating work shifts after school.
• Some experts also caution that research linking school phone restrictions to improved education and mental health isn’t fully settled, and should be studied more before blanket bans are commonplace.

The impact: In districts where new phone bans have been implemented, early reports show signs of calmer classrooms and more face-to-face interaction among students. Teachers “love the policy”, said Julie Gazmarian, a public health professor at Emory University who researches school phone bans.

On the flip side, some teachers report more self-regulation challenges among students who can’t access their phones, which some kids use as outlets for stress.