Cellphone bans in schools are gaining traction in both red and blue states, driven by concerns over student distractions and mental health.

In the last couple of years, at least eight states have jumped on the bandwagon, and more are considering similar measures. The main reason? There’s a growing concern about how much screen time affects kids’ mental health, plus teachers are fed up with phones being a constant distraction in class.
Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy has even weighed in, saying schools should have phone-free times. While 77% of U.S. schools claim to have cellphone bans, it seems like not all of them are enforced.
Kim Whitman, who co-founded the Phone Free Schools Movement, mentioned that parents and teachers from all kinds of backgrounds are feeling the pressure of kids glued to their devices. She believes every child deserves a break from the stress of phones and social media during school hours.
As for the states that have already enacted bans, they include California, Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Ohio, South Carolina, and Virginia. Florida was the first to take action, passing a law in 2023 that requires public schools to ban cellphone use during class. California is also getting in on the action, mandating that its school districts create their own cellphone policies by 2026.
However, not everyone is on board with these bans. Some parents argue they need to stay in touch with their kids in case of emergencies, especially after recent school shootings. They worry that without phones, their children might not be able to communicate during critical moments.
On the flip side, supporters of the bans argue that phones can be a distraction during emergencies too. Keri Rodrigues, president of the National Parents Union, believes that while social media poses risks, banning phones won’t fix deeper issues like bullying. She thinks we need to teach kids how to handle technology instead of just taking it away from them.
So, it looks like this debate is just heating up, and it’ll be interesting to see how it all plays out in schools across the country.