Schools

Chalkbeat - Once upon a time, New York City had a ban on cell phones in schools. But in 2015, the education department dropped the citywide ban and kicked the issue back to principals. The patchwork of policies that have developed since then — and the incredible headache that enforcement presents for teachers — shed light on the challenges as New York and other states consider broader cell phone bans.Some schools require students to stash their phones in pouches during the school day, but the cost can add up during a time of looming budget cuts. Other schools depend on teachers for enforcement, which can put educators in a bad spot and interfere with their ability to form relationships. “I can’t remember the last time the first words out of my mouth are: ‘Hello! Welcome to class. It’s fantastic to see you in school today,’” one teacher told Chalkbeat.And parents can be a major source of texts and calls to students during the school day. These challenges play out in schools around the country every day. Nationally, more than three quarters of schools ban cell phones, according to federal statistics, but that number doesn’t say much about how or whether those bans are enforced. 

Florida and Indiana have banned cell phones in schools statewide, and Ohio passed a law requiring districts to have cell phone policies. A number of other states are considering banning cell phones in schools, as the U.S. surgeon general has called for social media to come with a warning label.   Full Story

The Los Angeles Unified School District just became the largest district to adopt a ban, though it won’t go into effect until 2025, and many details haven’t been hashed out.