Ohio schools must implement classroom cell phone ban
Ohio schools must now develop a policy limiting cell phone use in the classroom, marking the final phase of a new statewide ban on cell phones in schools.
Under the mandate, included in the state’s two-year budget, Ohio’s public schools must update their policies by Jan. 1.
“For too long, phones have been a major source of distraction in classrooms fueling disengagement, social media addiction, and even contributing to rising levels of anxiety and depression among students,” Ohio Sen. Andrew Brenner, R-Delaware, chair of the Senate Education Committee, told the Dayton Daily News.
“By limiting their use to instructional purposes or specific accommodations, we’re helping restore focus to learning and promoting a much healthier, more productive school environment for all students,” Brenner added.
The move comes as school districts across Ohio have seized the opportunity to ban cell phones following the passage last year of House Bill 250, which Republican Gov. Mike DeWine signed in May 2024. It required local school districts to consider policies addressing the use of cell phones in schools.
In March, the governor called for lawmakers to ban cell phones in schools.
“Students feel relieved, parents feel relieved,” Dublin City Schools Superintendent John Marschhausen told Statehouse News Bureau. “When you go into a cafeteria, you hear kids talking and it’s loud and they’re engaging. And they’re not just staring at their screens.”
“We are going to ask them to put their phones in airplane mode or power them down and put them away,” Marschhausen added, per the outlet. “We’re not going to be taking them from students. We just need them out of sight, out of mind, powered down so that we can focus on learning in our classrooms.”
Following last year’s law, some school districts proactively banned cell phones. WSYX-TV, citing Department of Education and Workforce numbers, previously reported that more than 60% of Ohio’s schools have implemented a policy prohibiting cell phones.
According to Ohio Sen. Jane Timken, R-Jackson Township, who advocated for the ban, school staff in districts where phones have been barred have seen positive results in student attendance, engagement, grades, and socialization.
“I am grateful that my colleagues included this important reform in the biggest bill we will pass this year,” Timken said in a release. “It is imperative we change this culture that keeps kids more connected to their phones than their studies and classmates. As I like to say, we need to make sure we are plugging our kids into a brighter future by unplugging them from their phones.”
Statehouse News Bureau reported that at least 15 states ban cell phone use in schools.
The site also cited a Pew Research Center poll from last fall, which showed that 68% of Americans support cell phone bans in the classroom. However, more than a third — 36% — approve of banning cell phones in schools throughout the day.
While the ban was debated as part of Senate Bill 158, some parents expressed concerns, saying phones could be needed in an emergency. However, a previous WSYX-TV report indicated that some school districts prepare for emergencies without incorporating cell phones into their plans.
The statewide cell phone ban does not apply to private schools in the Buckeye State. However, the Massillon Independent reported that some have followed suit and restricted their use.
“I think there is a little bit more focus in the classroom,” Jennifer Fischer, associate superintendent for the Catholic Diocese of Youngstown, told the outlet. “They are not constantly checking to see who texted them or called.
“It’s a break from constantly being tethered to the phone,” Fischer added. “I don’t even think they realize they need that break. I think it surprises them that they can go 45 minutes to an hour without worrying about their phone.”
