OPINION: Reevaluating cellphone restrictions: Balancing policy and practicality in education

Photo via: Chainwit., CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Alyssa Gray, a Sophomore studying Political Science, argues that cellphone restrictions could have some unintended consequences.

On May 15, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed House Bill 250 into law. This legislation calls for school districts to establish a policy regarding cellphone usage in schools. The law is designed to reduce screen time in schools across the state. While the law should reduce distractions, it could create unintended challenges. Restricting cellphone use may reduce students' access to valuable resources, increase self-control challenges by not teaching responsible management and hinder communication between parents and children in emergencies.

This law takes an individualized issue out of the hands of educators and into the hands of lawmakers who do not spend all day in a classroom. Though there should be limits on cellphone usage, there are many special circumstances in which a cellphone can benefit learning. Instead of a blanket resolution made by each district, teachers should have the autonomy to decide how to handle cellphone usage in their own classrooms. At the least, teachers should be included in the decision-making process for each community. 

However, like most school policies, many districts turn to for-profit organizations like Neola to draft policies to fit current laws and standards. Teachers are urging lawmakers to involve them more directly in decision-making processes and shift greater control over daily activities from administrators to themselves. This law continues the unhealthy cycle of top-down policies. 

The language in the bill urges districts to write policies that move toward a total ban on cellular devices in schools or to at least limit usage as much as possible. This is a great idea for younger students still developing self-control. However, high school students need to learn how to regulate usage on their own. Cell phones are not banned in the real world. It is essential for high school students to be prepared for success after graduation, where responsible technology use is imperative.

Lawmakers have pointed to bullying as a main reason for the ban. However, bullying doesn’t cease outside of school hours. If anything, a lack of access to technology during school hours may cause students to spend even more time at home on social media. Instead of focusing money and energy on stopping screen time, schools should be focusing on preventing bullying. 

It is clear technology is never going away, so why is it so hard for schools to embrace it and help students apply it as a learning tool? Cellphones can be important to learning. Some schools have embraced technology and allowed students to use their devices to access programs to aid them in their work. 

Rather than making cellphones the villain, schools should integrate technology into their curriculum so that students can use their phones for good. It is important that students can relax during the school day as well. Many districts across the state have adopted policies that prohibit phone usage even during class changes or lunch hours. For many students, listening to music or disconnecting from the pressures of schoolwork is essential for managing stress and staying focused throughout the day.

Many schools have turned to products such as Yondr pouches, which students put their phones in at the beginning of the day and are unlocked at the end of the day. These pouches cost $25 to $30 per student, which would add up to thousands of dollars. In place of putting money towards academics, districts have decided to combat a problem that only impacts a small percentage of students. 

Instead of focusing on learning, teachers and administrators alike now have to spend most of their time combating phone usage and student protests against the bans. Yondr pouches can also be a security issue. With the continuance of school shootings across the country, phones are crucial for contacting authorities in case of an emergency.

The one-size-fits-all policy this bill encourages not only overlooks the opportunities that technology can offer but also fails to address the root causes of issues like bullying. Redirecting funds to external products, such as Yondr pouches, rather than fostering a healthy relationship with technology and creating safe school environments, is a mistake. 

Ultimately, schools should focus on integrating technology into the learning experience and allowing teachers more control in shaping policies that best fit their specific students' needs. The broader conversation should be about preparing students for a tech-driven future, not banning the tools that will be part of it.

Please note that these views and opinions do not reflect those of The New Political.