Pennsylvania may be the next state to ban cellphone use in schools, joining half the country, if the Senate Bill 1014 passes through the General Assembly, writes Chris Ullery for the Bucks County Courier Times.
According to the bill, school districts would be required to prohibit students’ cellphone usage during school hours.
Exceptions would be made for students who need cellphones due to disabilities or as part of an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), and for specific instructional use.
The bill is co-sponsored by Sen. Steve Santarsiero of Bucks County, Sen. Vincent Hughes of Philadelphia, and Sen. Devlin Robinson of Allegheny County.
“Teens now spend nearly eight hours a day on their phones, equivalent to a full-time job, and receive an average of 237 notifications daily,” said a statement from Santarsiero’s office.
Constant cellphone use has been shown to negatively impact test scores as well as mental health in adolescence, leading to increased anxiety, emotional instability, aggression, and depression.
Around 27 states across the country already have laws in place that require schools to limit or prohibit cellphone use in some capacity.
The bill would allow school officials to form their own policies in a manner specific to their districts to make room for exceptions.
According to a spokesperson, the Shapiro administration is “still reviewing this legislation and will follow it through the legislative process.”
Read more about the bipartisan bill that would restrict cellphone usage in schools across the state in the Bucks County Courier Times.
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