A Texas bill that seeks to ban students from using their cellphones in public schools has been sent to Gov. Greg Abbott's desk for approval.
The bill would let school districts decide how the new policy change will be implemented. The legislation, House Bill 1481, which was introduced by Rep. Caroline Fairly, seeks to restrict students' use of mobile devices in K-12 schools.
Texas Bill Seeks To Ban Cellphones in Public Schools
On Sunday, the Texas Senate passed the bill unanimously and it also got significant support from House lawmakers, who voted 136-10 in favor of the legislation in April. Under the proposed bill, students are prohibited from using cellphones during school hours.
It gives school districts the authority to choose where students can store their devices until the end of the school day. Additionally, the new policy mandates schools to implement disciplinary actions for students who decide to break the rules and use their cellphones anyway.
On the other hand, students who need to have their cellphones with them because of medical or safety reasons will be allowed to keep them on their person. If Abbott signs the bill, it will become law on Sept. 1, 2025, according to the Texas Tribune.
If approved, the bill would let Texas join several other states that have already implemented similar restrictions for students in schools. These include Arkansas, California, Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Ohio, South Carolina, and Virginia.
Supports of the new policy believe that cellphones provide major distractions to students while in the classroom. They argue that the devices will only hurt learning children's mental health. This stance is supported by research, which indicates that excessive use of cellphones can make it difficult for students to focus and engage in class.
Removing Distractions to Students' Learning
Under the bill, the list of banned personal communication devices includes cellphones, tablets, smartwatches, radio devices, paging devices, and any other electronic devices that are capable of providing telecommunication or digital communication services, Fox7Austin reported.
The bill comes as last year, students in Houston walked out in protest of a cellphone ban and some parents brought up the Uvalde school shooting as a counterpoint. At the time of the tragic incident, many students were able to call for help using their mobile devices while trapped on the school premises.
In supporting the bill, Rep. James Talarico said he has experience in policing cellphones, saying that educators waste time monitoring their students for cellphone usage. But Stephanie Holdren with Texas PTA, raised concerns about the full-day prohibition of the bill, as students will not be able to contact their family members, as per NBCDFW.
