Cell phones might be removed from classrooms by September if a statewide ban on them is implemented.
The STUDY Act, also known as the Safe Technology Use and Distraction-Free Education Youth Act, was first introduced by Attorney General Andrea Campbell in January. The bill would impose safety requirements on social media businesses for kids and limit cell phone use in schools.
Senate President Karen Spilkat told the Boston Herald that a statewide ban in Massachusetts might reach schools this autumn. Spilka expressed her expectation that her chamber can strive to get a proposed ban on Governor Maura Healey’s desk before September in an interview last week. A request for comment on the plan was not answered by Spilka or House Speaker Ron Mariano.
Cell phone bans in schools are becoming more and more popular. During a recent parliamentary session, campaigners and lawmakers made the case that the devices hinder learning, divert students’ attention, and have an adverse effect on their mental health. According to EducationWeek, school districts are required by law to prohibit or restrict cell phone use in classrooms in at least 25 states and Washington, D.C.
Spilka told the Herald, “I think we as adults need to take some action to help them deal with breaking free from some of that cell phone use.” It is a complete distraction to use it in class. It distracts them from learning, from attending class, and from their studies.
Lawmakers hear testimony on STUDY Act
On June 17, members of the Joint Committee on Education heard testimony from professionals, parents, students, and other stakeholders regarding the STUDY Act and related legislation.
According to the filed bill language, the act would mandate that all public schools have a policy on the use of personal electronic devices on school property and during school-sponsored events in order to minimize distractions, preserve learning environments, and safeguard the privacy and security of both staff and students. The policy will forbid pupils from physically accessing their personal electronic devices during the school day, among other things.
According to her office, Campbell submitted video testimony in favor of the measure, which allows districts to create their own regulations that work best for their particular school.
According to Campbell, a bell-to-bell phone-free school policy helps pupils stay engaged over the whole school day. To encourage not only better focus in the classroom but also the development of real-world social skills, this includes instructional time as well as passing times, lunch, and other noninstruction time.
A student at Shrewsbury High School explained the new rule that cell phones must be placed in a phone holder at the front of the classroom before each class period begins. He claimed that although the adjustment first caused resistance from the students, it has since improved the atmosphere in his classroom.
According to the youngster, what is taking on in Shrewsbury and other school districts shouldn’t be considered a one-off experiment. It ought to be the start of a more extensive discussion throughout the state.
Speaking in favor of the STUDY Act was Deb McCarthy, the Massachusetts Teachers Association’s vice president.
“There was widespread agreement when we asked teachers for their opinions on a bell-to-bell policy regarding cell phone use in schools that it must be a policy, it must be consistent, and it cannot be another unfunded mandate,” McCarthy said.
I watched the students start talking to each other again
During the session, state representative Joshua Tarsky, a former principal at Holbrook Middle-High School, told lawmakers that the Yondr pouch program was revolutionary. The pouch program is specifically mentioned in his ownbill, which he spoke to support.
According to Tarsky, I saw the students rekindle their conversation at lunch, go down the corridor, and experience fewer instances of bullying and discipline.
Each kid received a Yondr pouch to keep their phone locked in during the school day thanks to a grant from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Students would lock their pouches in front of an administrator at the door when they arrived for the day, and the administrator would use a magnetic device to open the pouches when they left.
It happened quickly. “I think people don’t realize how much more efficient the logistics of this were,” he remarked. This regulation was heavily criticized, but it almost immediately changed the school’s culture.
Molly Farrar works for Boston.com as a general assignment reporter, covering topics such as politics, crime, and education.
Sign up for the Today newsletter
Receive all the information you require to begin your day, given directly to your inbox each morning.
