NEW JERSEY (KYW Newsradio) — Lawmakers in New Jersey advanced a bill that would require some guidelines for student cellphone use during school.
Many districts, but not all, already have phone policies in place. This legislation would require the New Jersey Department of Education to establish some guidelines that must be followed by each district while giving local school officials the final say on how far they want to go in limiting phone use.
Some guidelines include banning phones during all classroom instruction time and allowing for usage during an emergency or for medical reasons. They say there could also be grade-appropriate adjustments that would allow more freedom for older students.
Jonathan Pushman with the New Jersey School Board Association says some districts lock up students' phones while others allow limited access. He says local officials appreciate the amendments added to ensure districts can do what they think is right rather than a one-size-fits-all solution.
“This bill now strikes an appropriate balance between ensuring that boards of education do have formal policies on cellphone usage, but it allows them to be reflective of and responsive to what each school district prefers.”
The bill has passed a vote in the Assembly Education Committee and needs to pass full votes in the Senate and Assembly before it can be signed into law.