By Danielle Smith, Keystone State News Service
Photo courtesy of Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash
Pennsylvania is one step closer to limiting student cellphone use in public schools.
The state House has approved House Bill 1814, which would require schools to restrict student access to mobile devices for the entire school day. The “bell-to-bell” policy would affect roughly 500 school districts and more than 1.7 million students across the state.
Aaron Chapin, president of the Pennsylvania State Education Association, said student cellphone use for text messaging or phone calls during the school day is disruptive to learning.
“Your average teenager gets over 237 text messages a day,” Chapin pointed out. “That’s a lot of pings. That’s a lot of distraction during the seven hours that they’re at school.”
Chapin noted 28 states currently have laws restricting student use of cellphones and mobile devices during the school day, including 19 with bell-to-bell restrictions. Several school districts in Pennsylvania have independently adopted similar policies. He added 75% of Pennsylvania voters support cellphone bans in schools. The bill is currently in the Senate Education Committee.
The Pew Research Center found many parents who oppose phone bans worry about staying connected with their child, with 70% calling that a major concern. Chapin acknowledged parents, guardians, and family members may worry that greater restrictions on student mobile devices could make it difficult to contact students in moments of crisis, but countered that mobile devices can interfere with school safety procedures.
“Mobile devices actually often get in the way of keeping students safe in emergency situations,” Chapin contended. “As school security experts have spoken out about, students are distracted and not listening to the adults.”
Chapin stressed that placing greater restrictions on student mobile devices during the school day will not be easy, and some students may resist the policy, but measures like House Bill 1814 are a response to community concerns about student mental health and would help students focus more intensely on their studies.
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