More schools are flunking smartphones

Former English teacher Daniel Buck once thought of himself as an optimist about technology in the classroom. But during a 15-minute, beginning-of-the-day period in 2022, he had what he calls his “road to Damascus moment” about smartphones.

Students had just settled into their seats. While they might have once passed bits of origami or practiced drawing while they waited for the day’s first bell, these students sat quietly, heads bowed over their screens.

“And I thought, ‘This is wrong,” Buck remembered. “‘This is almost dystopian.’”

A host of educators and state lawmakers have called for phone bans at public schools, and their efforts seem to be paying off. According to a report published July 8 from the Parents Television and Media Council, all 50 states have moved toward restricting students’ phone use in public school classrooms either at the district or statewide level. Many teachers will welcome the news, though some parents raise concerns about school safety. It may be too soon to celebrate or panic about these policies. Despite the national momentum toward banning phones, some experts aren’t convinced that schools will follow through with the restrictions.

In 2023, Florida became the first state to ban phones in public school classrooms. Since last fall, more than 30 states have advanced or passed phone ban policies.

Restrictions on using phones during the school day vary by state. More than a dozen states have banned or await legislative approval to ban phones all day, meaning that the devices must stay locked up even during breaks or lunchtime. Some state laws curb smartphone use only during class hours but not passing periods.

Other states, including Maine and Wyoming, don’t have formal bills up for consideration, but some of their districts have instituted bans. Or, like Alaska, some have passed laws letting local school officials determine smartphone policies.

At the dawn of the 21st century, public schools encouraged personal technology. In the 2000s, schools began issuing laptops to students. Some districts even suggested students bring their own devices to class. They focused on helping students become media literate as soon as possible.

Worries that students would be “left behind in a digital world or a technocratic world” fueled the efforts, said Melissa Henson, vice president of programs at Parents Television and Media Council, which published the report. Warnings spread that “if your child isn’t learning how to code in grade three, they’re going to be left out of the job market,” she said.

That tech-centric perspective gradually changed as smartphones became more ubiquitous. A 2023 report from Common Sense Media found that 97% of middle and high school-aged participants used their smartphones during the school day for a median of 43 minutes. The most time students spent on their smartphones while at school was 6.5 hours in a day.

Widespread smartphone use has taken a noticeable toll on academic performance and social interactions. A number of studies have concluded that excessive smartphone use has a negative effect on student grades. A 2017 study published in the Journal of the Association for Consumer Research found that “the mere presence of these devices reduces available cognitive capacity.”

Student use of smartphones during class time can be a disciplinary nightmare for educators, according to Henson, adding that many teachers spend a chunk of instructional time trying to encourage students to put their phones away.

According to 2024 data from educational freedom advocacy group EdChoice, only 56% of teachers think phones should be allowed in school, compared to almost 71% of parents.

Following tragedies like the 2022 school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, parents have realized that “safety is not always guaranteed,” said Colyn Ritter, a senior research associate with EdChoice. “That kind of reinvigorates the argument that cellphones are really necessary.”

Ritter thinks phones don’t belong in the classroom, since they tend to distract students. But he believes “it’s a bit extreme” when schools ban smartphone usage outside of class time, too. “I can’t ignore the safety aspect,” he said, referring to parents’ concerns about contacting their children in the event of a school shooting or other emergency. Some parents may choose to pull their children out of phone-free districts, he said.

But some experts say that, during emergencies, parents can’t necessarily keep children safe by being able to text or call. In those situations, according to Henson, parents phoning from miles away won’t be as helpful as on-site first responders.

Ritter cautioned that the debate about restricting technology in schools isn’t going away soon. “I think we’re going to be having far more robust and serious and dramatic conversations when it comes to artificial intelligence,” he said.

After realizing the harm that phones can cause to developing brains, former teacher Daniel Buck started championing phone-free classrooms. He even “de-techified” his own instruction. Now, as director of the Conservative Education Reform Network at the American Enterprise Institute, he’s in favor of school smartphone bans. 

But Buck believes that schools might prove the greatest obstacles to implementing the rules. “A lot of schools won’t enforce even basic dress code,” said Buck. “And now we’re asking them to enforce a phone ban.”