School cell phone ban supported by majority of adults, poll says

Attention, teens and tweens: Most adults want cell phones out of the classroom, according to a new survey.

A recent Pew Research Center poll of 5,110 US adults found that 68 percent support a ban on middle and high school students using cellphones in the classroom. 24 percent of respondents disagreed with the idea while 8 percent were unsure.

When asked to indicate why they supported the ban, participants said they thought students would develop better social skills and be less likely to cheat, as a result. They also think that such a ban would reduce bullying at school.

But they draw the line in a more restrictive way. Only about one-third of respondents favored banning phone access throughout the day, not just in the classroom, while more than half opposed it.

The findings of the survey may inform the ongoing struggle about the role of technology and internet-connected devices in the classroom.

Teachers and their unions have long argued that phone calls and frequent access to social media distract students, encourage bullying, and burn out teachers. School districts have even sued technology companies, including Meta and TikTok, saying they don’t adequately warn new users about the risks of using their platforms.

Adults polled by Pew who oppose any kind of ban mostly cite concerns about parents being able to access their child when needed. They also believe that this law will be too difficult for teachers to implement, and that cell phones can be a useful teaching tool.

Kim Whitman, founder of the Phone-Free Schools Movement, told Mashable in an email that the organization supports the phone-free day policy to provide students and teachers with “many benefits.” Whitman said placing phones in a storage device, such as a phone locker or in secured baskets in the school office, can further reduce cyberbullying, social media conflict, and lack of face-to-face communication with peers.

Some school districts and state governments have already moved to different types of bans. California recently passed a law requiring school districts to implement a policy to restrict phone use in school by 2026. Florida has banned the use of cell phones in the classroom this school year. Louisiana is poised to ban students from using and having cell phones all day, starting in the 2024-2025 school year.

A Pew poll found more opposition to the idea of ​​a ban among young adults. Less than half of survey respondents under the age of 30 support cell phone restrictions in the classroom, while more than three-quarters of adults aged 30 to 49 favor them. That percentage rises to 80 percent among participants age 50 and older.

Whitman said students “deserve” wireless schools so they can focus and engage with students and peers.

“This means more noisy dining rooms and more students participating in extracurricular activities, which creates a greater sense of community and camaraderie,” Whitman wrote in an email. “Don’t we want this for all children?”

Update: October 14, 2024, 2:33 pm EDT This story has been updated to include comments from Kim Whitman, founder of the Phone-Free Schools Movement.