Response to the new “bell-to-bell” cell phone ban recently signed into law by Oklahoma
Governor Kevin Stitt has been a mixed bag. In general, kids aren’t in favor. Some
parents are, while others aren’t. But one group that seems to overwhelmingly support
the new law is classroom teachers.
Many of the reasons for the new law banning cell phone use during the school day are
backed by data. Studies have shown that schools with strict cell phone policies or bans
experience significant improvement in test scores, particularly for low-achieving
students.
Other data shows that denying student access to phones during school hours
significantly dropped reports of bullying. Excessive cell phone use, especially social
media, has been linked to increased anxiety, depression, and feelings of loneliness in
adolescents.
Removing phones from the school environment can provide a break from the constant
pressure of online validation and comparison, benefiting students' mental well-being.
Teachers don’t need to be told any of these things because they already know how
detrimental cell phones are, and they know it from personal experience.
“I look forward to not having the interruptions, and to not having to try to control the
cheating,” said Marietta High School’s STEM/Aviation/Gifted & Talented teacher, Erin
Hansen. “I spent so much class time fighting cell phones, and make no mistake, it was a
fight. It was impossible to control. And even worse, I think that because of cell phone
usage, our students have lost confidence in their ability to think for themselves.”
Hansen anticipates some pushback from students but believes that if the ban is
implemented across the board, the resistence won’t last long.
“Cell phones cause so many problems in the classroom,” said Marietta Middle School
math teacher Marilyn Corbin. “There are fights, behavior problems, instances of
bullying, and class disruptions, all because of cell phones. And because every student
in class has one, while you’re dealing with one infraction, several others are happening.”
Many teachers are grateful for the law because it gives school policies some “teeth.” If
parents don’t like a school policy, they may feel like if it is unpopular, the school can and
should change it. A state law is another matter altogether. It’s not a matter of school
choice because the school has no choice but to follow it.
Most parents who disagree with the new law do so because they feel like they should
be able to get in touch with their children while at school.
Amber Hicks, Marietta Middle School language arts teacher, is both a parent and a
teacher.
“As a parent, I understand the desire to get in touch with a child,” Hicks explained. “But
parents are welcome to call the office anytime they need to reach their children. And as
a teacher, I can promise that when a parent tries to contact a child and their device goes
off, it is a distraction for the entire classroom full of students. There is a time and place
for cell phones, but the classroom is neither the time nor the place.”
According to Hicks, when the small inconvenience of having to call the school office to
pass on information to a child is weighed against the disturbance and stoppage in
learning for an entire class, there’s no contest. The cell phone comes out as a loser
every time.
Teachers report that cell phones are a major source of distraction in the classroom,
impacting students’ ability to focus on lessons, participate in discussions, and absorb
information. They also say that when students aren’t glued to their phones, they are
more likely to engage in interactions with peers, develop essential communication skills,
and build meaningful relationships.
Many teachers also agree that a cell phone ban results in a safer campus for students
and teachers.
To sum it up, most teachers can provide dozens of reasons why banning cell phones
from schools is a great idea. When it comes to providing reasons to keep them – not
even one. So, if you’re looking to whine to someone about Oklahoma’s new cell phone
ban for public schools, you’ll need to look a lot further than a classroom teacher.