States Are Banning Cellphones In Classrooms. Should Michigan?

One of my friends is a middle school teacher, and whenever we meet up at the bar he usually has some goofy stories to share from the goings-on in his classroom.

But the one thing he always talks about is the constant battle he is in for attention from kids' cell phones. He's not alone. A PEW Research Center has found that 72% of teachers say that cell phones are the biggest distraction in the classroom.

I graduated high school in 2017, and towards the end of my time there, my school had become pretty lax about kids using their phones. However, now in a post-pandemic world, kids are always on their phones at a time when many are still struggling to catch up. It has gotten so bad that school districts have decided to ban cell phones and social media use on campus.

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Los Angeles Bans Cellphones

The second-largest school district in Los Angeles with over 400,000 students will no longer be able to have their cellphones in classrooms beginning next school year. How they will go about this ban is still being figured out, but one board member believes many other districts will follow this ruling.

Plus, social media usage has become such a worrisome issue that Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy has requested a warning label be put on social media apps to make users, especially young users, aware of the potential health risks associated with using social media.

Should Michigan Join?

With support for a ban coming from one of the countries' largest school districts and a warning coming straight from the top of the government, a ban seems like the right choice. But if LA and the Surgeon General aren't enough evidence for you, take a look at our neighboring states. Both Indiana and Ohio have introduced bills limiting cell phone use in schools in some capacity.

Phones aren't necessary for education. If teachers are spending more time policing kids to stay off their phones than being able to teach, it's really a no-brainer they should stay out of the classroom.