Minnesota School Districts Must Decide on Cell Phone Ban

Over the summer, the Los Angeles School District voted to ban cell phones in schools this year. That’s the 2nd largest school system in the country telling kids you can’t use your phones during class.  

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You had to know that other school districts around the country would be paying attention. And apparently a State Senator from Minnesota has been watching. The Star Tribune reports that Senator Alice Mann from Edina was talking with high school students from St. Paul recently and she indicated that limits are likely coming to Minnesota schools too, and it’s being done for the students not to them. 

Students are rebuffing that saying that social media platforms bring positivity to students during the course of their day or learning. Another student just basically said it was too late to expect students to not use their phones during the course of the day after allowing them to do so for so long. 

The Minnesota State Legislature has voted that each school districts and all charter schools need to have a cell phone policy by March 15th of next year.  

School systems around the state are forming committees and seeking input from parents and students alike to help them make the best policy possible.  

A survey on this topic conducted by Pew Research Center shows that 68% of adults are in favor of cell phones being banned in the classroom. About One Third of adults says that phones have no place in school at all. 

A good number of parents say that they would at least like to be able to have direct contact with their child without having to go through the school to reach them. 

We won’t know what the local policies will be for some time. If you are a parent, if you haven’t done so already, you should reach out to your school district to let your voice be heard.