The Rhode Island House of Representatives on Monday unanimously approved a bill that would ban student use of cell phones during school hours.
The state Senate passed an identical bill in May, leaving Gov. Dan McKee’s signature as the final hurdle for the policy.
Under the legislation, Rhode Island school districts would have to craft a policy to ban student use of cell phones during the school day by next summer. School officials would be responsible for enforcement.
The House bill’s sponsor, North Kingstown Rep. Julie Casimiro, a former substitute teacher, says banning cell phones at school is the only way for teachers to recapture the attention of their students.
“You’ve got girls doing TikTok videos in the stairwell,” Casimiro said. “You’ve got kids videotaping fights that go viral and cause even bigger problems. Too much screen time; it’s just not good for them. They’re not in the classroom learning.”
Casimiro says she knows from personal experience that teachers can’t effectively police the cell phone use of their students. Consequently, she says lawmakers had to take action.
“If the teacher has to take the phone, she’s distracted,” Casimiro said. “She’s not teaching, kids aren’t learning. It’s a distraction.”
Some schools in the state already lock up student electronics for the entire school day, even outside of class.
McKee hasn’t said whether he supports the cell phone ban, but Casimiro says she expects him to sign the legislation.
“There’s been absolutely zero opposition to this bill,” Casimiro said.
