Shutterstock.com (background); praetorianphoto/Getty Images (students)

Should Schools Ban Phones?

September 16, 2024

By Brian Fitzgerald

As You Read, Think About: What are some reasons schools don’t allow students to have phones in class?

Sixth-grade teacher Angie Charky has a no-phones rule in her class. But she says getting students to follow it is tiring.

“They’ll put the phone away for like a minute and pull it right back out,” she explains.

Charky is looking forward to January. That’s when her district will implement a ban on smartphones in schools. Charky works in the Los Angeles Unified School District in California. It serves more than 420,000 students.

The phone ban in Los Angeles is part of a growing trend. And it’s not just districts that are making the change. Florida, Indiana, and Ohio have passed statewide laws limiting phone use in public schools. Other states are considering similar laws.

Like Charky, many teachers support phone bans. They say kids are more engaged when they aren’t always looking at their devices. They also argue that phone bans cut down on cheating. But other teachers point out that phones can be helpful for schoolwork and in emergencies.

Sixth-grade teacher Angie Charky has a no-phones rule in her class. But getting students to follow it is tiring.

“They’ll put the phone away for like a minute and pull it right back out,” she explains.

Charky is looking forward to January. That’s when her district will implement a ban on smartphones in schools. Charky works in the Los Angeles Unified School District. That is in California. It serves more than 420,000 students.

The phone ban in Los Angeles is part of a growing trend. And it’s not just districts that are making the change. Florida, Indiana, and Ohio have passed statewide laws that limit phone use in public schools. Other states are considering similar laws.

Charky isn’t alone in supporting phone bans. Many other teachers do too. They say kids are more engaged when they aren’t always looking at their devices. They also argue that phone bans cut down on cheating. But other teachers point out that phones can be beneficial. They can be helpful for schoolwork. They can also be important in emergencies.

Should students be banned from having phones in school?

Digital Decisions: Pause Before You Post

Watch a video to learn how to handle sticky situations in the digital world.

Yes

Many educators say phone use in schools has gotten out of control. Christopher Knox is a fourth-grade teacher in Flagler Beach, Florida. He says it doesn’t take much for phones to cause a major distraction in class.

“One little chime sets off the whole class, as every student with a phone checks to see if it’s theirs,” he says.

Many educators say phone use in schools has gotten out of control. Christopher Knox is a fourth-grade teacher in Flagler Beach, Florida. He says it doesn’t take much for phones to distract kids.

“One little chime sets off the whole class,” he says. “Every student with a phone checks to see if it’s theirs.”

97% of kids ages 11 to 17 use their phones during school hours.

^{Source: Common Sense Media}

Charky hopes that not being allowed to text or play games will be a positive change for her students.

“I think they’ll be more focused on what we’re talking about in class,” she says.

Knox says his school’s no-phones rule also encourages students to be more social.

“The cafeteria gets very loud during lunch,” he explains. “But I love that the students are actually talking to each other!”

Charky hopes the ban will be a positive change for her students.

“I think they’ll be more focused on what we’re talking about in class,” she says.

Knox says his school’s no-phones rule encourages students to be more social.

“The cafeteria gets very loud during lunch,” he explains. “But I love that the students are actually talking to each other!”

No

Most teachers agree that they don’t want a classroom full of kids texting. But some say a total ban on phones isn’t fair to students.

“Cell phones have become a key part of everybody’s communication,” says Stevie Frank. She’s a technology coach and former fifth-grade teacher in Zionsville, Indiana.

Frank argues that phones can be useful learning tools. For example, she would let her fifth-graders use their phones to create podcasts and videos for projects.

Most teachers agree that they don’t want a classroom full of kids texting. But some say a total ban on phones isn’t fair to students.

“Cell phones have become a key part of everybody’s communication,” says Stevie Frank. She’s a technology coach. She’s also a former fifth-grade teacher in Zionsville, Indiana.

Frank argues that phones can be useful learning tools. For example, she would let her fifth-graders use their phones to create podcasts. They would also use their phones to make videos for projects.

79% of parents say kids should be allowed to use their phones in school at least sometimes.

^{Source: National Parents Union Survey}

Allowing phones in schools makes life easier for many families. Nikko Stroble is a fifth-grader in Carlsbad, California. His parents might text him if a pickup plan has changed or if he forgot his lunch. Nikko says phones can also help students feel safe.

“Kids might need to reach out to their parents if something goes wrong,” he says.

Allowing phones in schools makes life easier for many families. Nikko Stroble is a fifth-grader in Carlsbad, California. His parents might text him if a pickup plan has changed. They also text him if he forgot his lunch. Nikko says phones can help students feel safe.

“Kids might need to reach out to their parents if something goes wrong,” he says.