Legislation passed April 16 by the Alaska House of Representatives would require school districts to adopt policies that restrict the use of cellphones by students during school hours.
House Bill 57, which advanced to the Senate after a 34-6 vote, does not require districts to ban students’ cellphones but does require them to regulate students’ use of phones during regular school hours, including during lunch and the time between classes.
Wrangell’s middle school already bans cellphones on the premises during school hours. The high school allows students to use phones and earbuds in the hallways during passing periods, in the commons (before school and after school and at lunch) and at each teacher’s discretion.
Under the House-passed legislation, cellphones would be allowed for translation purposes, in emergencies, for medical reasons, and as needed for instruction.
Restrictions on cellphones in the classroom are growing in popularity across the country, and eight states — including Florida, California, Virginia and Indiana — have banned them altogether.
Every state except Nevada and Wyoming has proposed or is considering a statewide ban or restriction, according to a tally kept by the Associated Press. Some members of Congress are considering national legislation.
The bans come amid a broadening base of research that shows smartphone and social media use can contribute to negative mental health and poor academic achievement among students in grade school and high school.
Several Alaska legislators and Gov. Mike Dunleavy have proposed legislation this year that would restrict cellphone use in schools.
HB 57, sponsored by Anchorage Rep. Zack Fields, would have required school districts to adopt policies banning cellphones, but the measure was amended in the House to require districts adopt policies to regulate the phones, not ban them.
The amendment sponsor, Soldotna Rep. Justin Ruffridge, said he thinks Alaskans believe in local control of education. The amendment, he said, “gives that ability to govern yourselves and be as strict or as permissive as possible at the district level,” he said.
Fields spoke against the amendment, saying it turned HB 57 from a cellphone ban into “a cellphone discouragement policy.”
The amendment passed on a 19-18 vote.
Five days later, when the bill came up for a final vote, Fields voted for it.
“The amendment adopted to this bill substantially weakens it,” Fields said. “I’m still going to vote for the bill and send it to the next body (the Senate) because I think there’s an opportunity to resurrect better language.”
Other legislators also stood up in support, offering anecdotal stories about the way cellphones have affected their children and children they know.
“Parents and our state are at war against these screens,” said Anchorage Rep. Andrew Gray, speaking in favor of the bill.
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