Bill limiting cell phone use in classrooms passes Ohio Senate
CLEVELAND (WJW) – Several bills that would limit or ban cell phones in classrooms are making the rounds through the Ohio legislature.
An amendment to HB 250 passed the Ohio Senate this week and would require districts to limit student cell phone use during school.
“The legislation does not require students to adopt a ban on all student cell phone use, though that is an option if a school district chooses to do so,” said State Senator Andrew Brenner, a Republican representing District 19.
Wayne County shelter dog finds forever home after 566 days
HB 485 seeks to mandate a ban on cell phones and social media, TikTok named in the bill specifically from K-12 classrooms.
“The classroom is for study it’s not for texting, watching TikTok or Snapchat or ordering your lunch or anything like that,” said the bill’s primary sponsor, State Rep. Tom Young, a Republican representing District 37.
Many school districts already have a policy in place to prohibit student phones in class and report a dramatic change since taking phones out of classrooms.
“We have seen success,” said Charles Smialek. “Students are talking to each other more. It’s more of a civil atmosphere, to be honest. Just more interaction between students face-to-face instead of social media and texting. We’ve been pleased with the changes.”
17-year-old Ohio girl graduates with Bachelor’s degree
Parma City Schools banned cell phones at middle schools, at the high school level the ban is for classroom time only. Students at Akron Public Schools lock their phones in specialized pouches to prevent distractions. The district reports a decrease in student fights ever since.
“I’m a little perplexed in what’s happening in Columbus because I’m just not sure what ultimate impact it’s going to have,” said Smialek. “90% of school districts work with the same policy provider, so we’ve already gone through that process. I understand the need for uniformity. There’s some out there that haven’t taken that step yet.”
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW.
