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Now that nearly every American owns a cell phone, there’s no getting rid of the devices in our day-to-day lives. However, as cell phone use in the classroom skyrockets, many states have begun cracking down, citing studies that found increased screen time is linked to worse academic performance.
Last year, Indiana became the 10th state to implement a basic cell phone ban in school settings. The law barred cell phone use during class time, but continued to allow phones during recreational periods and lunch. However, state lawmakers found the original law faced insufficient enforcement by teachers. In response to these challenges, the state legislature crafted a new bill earlier this year that would increase the ban to a “bell-to-bell” schedule. From the start of the school day to the end, phones wouldn’t be allowed whatsoever.
By keeping phones out of schools, the bill would help improve education among the next generation. The legislation could keep students focused on education instead of being distracted by a screen all day.
The bill has its faults that need to be addressed, but with amendments, it can become a bill that — while primary school students might not like it —would help bring education back to the forefront and make learning a more meaningful experience.
The rise of in-school cell phone usage has worried educators who observe a lower attention span among students than they did even 10 years ago. Relatively lackluster efforts to enforce existing cell phone restrictions have done little to address the issue, particularly in high schools.
The bill would be enforced by securing students’ phones via a secure storage method of the school district’s choosing. Indiana schools would have the option to not allow phones at all, or require students to put their phones in a locker or a secure bag in the classroom. Students would be able to pick up their devices from the storage space only at the school day’s conclusion. The cost of securing the phones is high, around $400,000 to $500,000 per district, but school districts claim it’s worth it.
Many Hoosiers, including teachers and parents, have endorsed the bill, arguing it could minimize the behavioral issues associated with in-school phone use while producing better test scores and educational production.
Despite these advantages, some parents worry that a total phone ban could present problems in the cases of preexisting medical conditions or emergencies. However, lawmakers have already proposed amendments to address this concern. For instance, some members of the state Congress have proposed leniency with the guidelines for students with medical conditions, such as diabetes, granting them access to phones in case they need short-term assistance.
The bill could be problematic in other emergency situations, too. By limiting students’ communication with their parents, the bill could block important information from being shared in dangerous situations. In the case of, say, a criminal threat to a school, students would be unable to notify their parents of their safety. While schools have created emergency buttons to notify law enforcement or initiate lockdowns in such situations, the disconnect between students and parents prompts well-founded anxiety.
Students’ inability to communicate with their parents could be problematic in everyday settings as well. The logistics of life could become unwieldy without students communicating after-school plans with parents. In an era with endless information to keep track of, and in which plans can change at the drop of a hat, instant communication is not only a luxury but a need. Having the ability to communicate at your fingertips is vital for navigating complex modern life.
However, the benefits of SB 78 greatly outweigh its drawbacks. Instead of students immediately subtly opening ChatGPT to find answers to an assignment question, they’ll think it through, learn and grow from the newfound knowledge.
Technology provides plenty of benefits outside of schools, offering easier access to assignments, making it easier to keep up when absent and providing an easier pipeline to communicate with teachers. However, in the classroom, it’s shown that devices have resulted in distractions and an over-reliance on the medium. By banning phones in schools, students could instead focus on what matters: learning.
Jacob Fry (he/him) is a junior studying political science.
