Governor Josh Shapiro is backing a proposal to ban cellphones from Pennsylvania classrooms.
In a post on x (formally Twitter) Governor Shapiro says a full-day cellphone ban is needed to “get distractions out of the classroom.
Pittsburgh Public Schools already enforces a similar ban, and School Board President Gene Walker tells KDKA it helps students stay focused.
“I think the research and the districts that have been doing it for a little while show increased performance by kids and decreased incidents of violence and fighting and those kinds of things so, we’re looking forward to figuring out how to do it system-wide and seeing what the impact will be for our kids and our teachers,” said Walker.
The proposal now moves to the full state legislature, where bipartisan support could make cellphone-free school days the new norm.
The first amendment in the bill clarifies that individual school districts create the policy for the restriction of cell phone use that best fits their community’s needs.
The law also clarifies school officials cannot be held liable for lost or stolen phones.
The second amendment in the bill allows for principals to apply for cell phone possession for single day use for field trips or a science fair.
Other reasonable exceptions like medical conditions will be approved.
This is a bipartisan bill and passed out of the Senate Education Committee unanimously last December.