California school cell phone ban makes some parents uneasy

Parents in California have mixed feelings about the state’s looming restrictions on cell phones in schools.

California public schools must begin limiting or prohibiting student cell phones in time for the 2026 school year after Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the Phone-Free School Act into law. The Los Angeles Unified School District, the state’s largest and second largest in the nation, is set to implement its ban by January 2025.

Proposed cell phone bans have spread rapidly across the states in recent months, as proponents argue the devices cause disruptions in class and contribute to bullying. One analysis reveals seven states besides California have passed legislation requiring more restrictive phone policies, while six others are considering the policy or have implemented a pilot program – and 14 more states have introduced related legislation.

Despite widespread advocacy in favor of cell phone bans, however, not all parents are on board with the controversial new policy.

A new survey from the National Parents Union indicates many prefer their child have access to a cell phone during the school day for a variety of reasons – with safety concerns being the most prevalent. Nearly 80% of surveyed parents said they want their child to have a cell phone at school to use in the event of an emergency.

“I have yet to hear an expert point to a single instance where a cell phone has actually exacerbated one of these situations or caused it. However, I can point you to the most obvious of examples, including Parkland and Uvalde, where parents being able to connect with kids saves lives, where kids being able to connect with first responders saves lives,” Keri Rodrigues, president of the National Parents Union, told The Hill.

Notably, some state laws such as California’s carve out exceptions to school phone restrictions in emergency situations or “in response to a perceived threat of danger.”

But some advocates also concerned with school safety argue the issue from the opposite angle, stating students are safer without their phones, even in an emergency.

“When a child is distracted by their phone, they might miss critical safety instructions from a teacher or an emergency responder, and it’s important that they maintain situational awareness during that crisis, and completely staying focused on the guidance that they’re given really helps improve the chance of the safety of that child,” stated Mileva Repasky, co-founder of the Phone-Free Schools Movement.