Technology is rapidly changing schools鈥攆rom artificial intelligence, to 1-to-1 computing, to learning management systems, as well the vast quantities of student performance data those technologies now produce.
But ask educators, and they will tell you that the ubiquitous cellphone is the tech that most disrupts classrooms and school environments.
At least 88 percent of teens own a personal smartphone, according Common Sense Media, and 43 percent of 8- to 12-year-olds own their have smartphones.
About 1 in 10 teachers, principals, and district leaders say that cellphones are banned in their schools while 22 percent believe that they should be banned on campus, according to an October survey by the EdWeek Research Center, which regularly polls educators across the country on education issues.
A little more than 200 educators used an open-ended question that asked them to share their perspectives on the survey topics to vent about their growing concerns over cellphones, with some comparing students鈥� use of cellphones to an addiction or describing circumstances where students became panicked over having their cellphones taken from them.
鈥淭he issue of high schoolers using cell phones during class is massive,鈥� said one high school teacher from Washington state. 鈥淪o many are constantly in need of the dopamine rush of checking their phones, texting, watching YouTube, etc., they鈥檝e lost the ability to have any sort of sustained attention to anything.鈥�
鈥淭he fight over cellphones is exhausting to teachers,鈥� said a high school teacher from Pennsylvania.
鈥淪tudents on cell phones are physically present, but not mentally present,鈥� said a third high school teacher, this one from Iowa. 鈥淚t is the single greatest threat to a quality education in the school at the present time.鈥�
These issues are fueling a growing interest from educators鈥攁nd even some parents鈥攊n banning cellphones in schools.
But does barring cellphones in class or across campus work? What have educators in schools with bans actually seen and experienced? As the responses show, many educators said bans have improved their classroom and school environments for the better, but the devil is in the details of implementation.
The upsides to cellphone bans at school
鈥淲e recently banned cellphones. Previously, they were allowed during passing time and at lunch. However, they had taken over instructional time. Students would get out their phones without thinking and teachers would have to spend as much time redirecting as they were teaching. That, or have a power struggle over confiscation.鈥�
鈥擠istrict leader, Missouri
鈥淲e have recently implemented a no cellphone policy in our district and it has been life changing. The kids are working in class, talking to one another, and keeping out of trouble鈥攆or the most part.鈥�
鈥擧igh school teacher, Ohio
鈥淲e have had students put their phones in a magnetically sealed pouch powered off. It has helped to limit the distraction that phones bring. I used to think we should be teaching them how to use them responsibly, but now I believe that is not possible...it would be like trying to teach someone to use heroin responsibly. I prefer them to have zero access to their phones.鈥�
鈥擬iddle school teacher, Wisconsin
鈥淲e have implemented 鈥榥o cellphones鈥� during the school day for our middle school and have seen improvements with student interactions, especially at lunch time with playing board games and in the gym.鈥�
鈥擬iddle school teacher, Indiana
鈥淭his is the first year our school has had a cellphone policy. I have always had one in my class, and I believe that my students have always been much more focused. I did not experience any negative interactions with students because I had a policy when other teachers didn鈥檛. The kids just adapted to my expectations.鈥�
鈥擧igh school teacher, Minnesota
鈥淚 feel like students should not have a cellphone at any point in the regular school day. Our district has started a no cellphone policy this year and the difference has been strictly positive. Students are paying attention more in classes and there is nowhere near as much online bullying compared to previous years when cellphones were allowed.鈥�
鈥擬iddle school teacher, Tennessee
鈥淚 do not allow cellphones in my classes. Students must place them in the calculator caddy and take a calculator. They hate it, they want their phones on them all the time. At the end of the year, I have a had students sheepishly admit that not having their phones helped them concentrate on their work.鈥�
鈥擧igh school teacher, Pennsylvania
鈥淐ellphones were a big distraction in my classes last school year. The changes made by the district were needed and are helpful. We can already see the difference in student engagement and performance.鈥�
鈥擧igh school teacher, North Carolina
鈥淢y school has implemented a school wide no cellphone policy during class (unless approved by the teacher). We use phone vaults and students are used to using them. Now that students have the routine down, I no longer spend my time worrying about cellphone use. They know they are not allowed, they are placed in a pocket during class, and the school is unified in this process which is wonderful!鈥�
鈥擧igh school teacher, Idaho
Why cellphone bans at school don鈥檛 always work
鈥淥ur school has a 鈥榥o cellphones in the academic classroom鈥� policy, but it is very inconsistently enforced. This makes it difficult to enforce a strict policy in my classroom. In some cases, parents argue about the policy and believe their children should be allowed access to their phones at all times.鈥�
鈥擧igh school teacher, Illinois
鈥淥ur school won鈥檛 enforce a cellphone policy building wide but wants each class to have an individual plan. The staff feels like a schoolwide phone policy is administrative work. Ultimately, we don鈥檛 have any enforceable cellphone policy. This is directly impacting students鈥� progress.鈥�
鈥擧igh school teacher, Washington state
鈥淧hones cannot be policed unless the school administration has a strict no cellphone use policy with consequences. Nobody wants to touch the student鈥檚 property, and often students disregard requests to put it away. It鈥檚 impossible as a teacher to compete with the allure and addiction to the cellphone. It鈥檚 constantly alerting them, pinging, chiming, and crying for their attention.鈥�
鈥擬iddle school teacher, New York
Cellphones are the cause of a myriad of problems, both in and out of class. No backing from parents to follow the district policy. In fact, parents will call and text their child even when they know they are in class. Sharing answers to tests, videoing fights and altercations and bullying are also major problems that could easily be solved by banning cellphones on campus. Unfortunately, I don鈥檛 see that ever happening through district follow-through.鈥�
鈥擧igh school teacher, West Virginia
鈥淥ur schedule is so complex and includes physically and mentally draining 90-minute blocks. No phone policy is new but adds layer of tension [between] me and my students.鈥�
鈥擧igh school teacher, Virginia
鈥淣o matter what the school rules are in the school they are not always enforced by each teacher. I have implemented a cellphone turn-in incentive program in my own classroom to limit cell phone usage during class.鈥�
鈥擧igh school teacher, Illinois
When cellphone bans are a nonstarter, try this:
鈥淚 recently had my 9th graders write a journal about a change they would like to see in our society, so we don鈥檛 wind up like characters in some of the dystopian literature we鈥檝e been reading. Most admitted they think everyone should be on their phones less! They know that scrolling through TikTok and Instagram is a waste of time and only makes them feel worse, but they are also addicted to it. 鈥� When I talk to kids about their cell phone use, I let them know that it鈥檚 not just a teenager thing, that I can鈥檛 fully concentrate on lesson planning or grading papers if my phone is right next to me. When I share my own struggles and observations, they are much more likely to respect my rule of putting their phones in a slot by my desk for the duration of class. My own daughter admitted that she was annoyed but also relieved when teachers required students to put their phones in one of those organizers because it took the pressure off.鈥�
鈥擧igh school teacher, North Carolina
