State leaders approve cell phone ban in schools: what to know

SPARTANBURG COUNTY, S.C. — The South Carolina Department of Education approved a state-wide policy barring students from using personal devices throughout of school day.

“It essentially says from the start of the school day until the end of the school day students should not have their cell phones out, you can keep it in a backpack, put it in a cell phone locker, if a school provides one,” said SC DoE spokesperson Jason Raven.

Districts now have until January to draft up local rules, or they risk losing state aid. School districts do have some flexibility.

“School districts will either tweak current policies they have in place on cell phone usage or implement a new policy depending on what they had in place,” Raven continued. “If school districts want to take it further [by implementing the ban on] school field trips, buses, that up to them, that’s not addressed in the policy.”

Officials said the goal is to cut down classroom distractions.

“We did survey the states 50,000 teachers earlier this year,” Raven said.

With around 10,000 responses from teachers, an overwhelming amount of teachers said they are losing instructional time every day dur to cell phone use in the classroom.

Parents agreed that cell phones don’t mix with learning.

“I do understand what cellphones can be a distraction in school,” said mother Alexa Bearden. “I clearly have not been in high school for a while but I know when I was in school cell phones were a distraction.”

Bearden added that cell phones being put up and away can be a double-edged sword for parents.

“Truly my first thought is, I just think about the gun violence that happens in schools,” Bearden said. “My main concern is that quick communication with your parents and a lot of times parents are the ones talking to their kids, asking them questions and everything, so I feel like that direct communication is important now days.”

Officials said there are other ways for parents to get in touch with their child throughout the day, like calling the school office. Parents can also contact schools to determine the best way to get in touch with your child during school hours.

Exceptions to the ban will be made for medical reasons, as well as students who are first responders.

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