The new school year has arrived, and this year students will not be allowed to keep cell phones on them while in class. That because a new state law requires students to keep their phones "stowed" while in class.
But what exactly does that mean?
Senator Beth Mizell (R-Franklinton) authored the bill. She says she intentionally left some grey areas in the law to allow schools to decide for themselves how they will require students to store their phones during the school day.
"Those are judgment calls to be made within the districts to give the districts the ability to either ease the children into the process and the idea--let them see the benefits of it--and then tighten it," Sen. Mizell said. "That's going to be up to each district to decide."
Sen. Mizell says the law allows schools and districts to decide for themselves if students can use their phones at certain points of the school day or not at all.
"That is strictly up to the school," Sen. Mizell said. "(The bill is written) to give the school a little leeway in whether they want the phones totally stowed away, whether they want the phones shut off, whether they want the phones available between classes, or whether those phones stay away for the entire day and they don't get them back until after school."
Sen. Mizell also says the law allows schools to decide how exactly students will stow their phones during instructional time.
"The stowing can be very creative," Sen. Mizell told WWL's Don Dubuc. "What we have seen other states during is almost like an over-the-door shoebag type of thing. The pockets are numbered. The kids have a designated number. They walk into class, and they drop their phone into the shoe bag. Where funds have allowed it or where there is support to fund it, some of the schools have had what is called a Yondr bag."
Yondr bags are pouches that concert venues use to prevent ticketholders from recording performances.
"It's a little snap closure," Sen. Mizell said. "The only way that pocket bag is open is at a magnetic station where they pop the bag on there. It releases, the kid gets their phone, and their on their way."