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Massachusetts one step closer to banning cellphones in schools

By
Louisa Moller
Louisa Moller
Louisa Moller is a general assignment reporter for WBZ-TV.
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Louisa Moller

/ CBS Boston

The Massachusetts Senate is moving forward on a bill to ban cellphone use in all Massachusetts schools. The Joint Education Committee redrafted legislation combining seven different Senate bills including legislation supported by Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell.

"A bell to bell phone free school policy keeps students focused throughout the full school day," Campbell said. "This includes instructional time, as well as passing periods, lunch, and other non-instructional time."

Campbell said it's a commitment to both young peoples' education and their mental health.

"Major barriers to student growth"

"Today's action means that Massachusetts is one step closer to making schools cell phone-free," said Senate President Karen Spilka and Senator Jason Lewis, Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Education in a statement.

"The cell phone is one of the most distracting devices ever created," the statement said. "Overwhelming evidence shows us that cell phones are major barriers to student growth and achievement in the classroom, and they make it harder for our talented educators to teach."

Already, 77% of public schools prohibit students from using cellphones during class, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Twenty-five states have enacted bans or regulations on cellphone use in schools.

The Senate version of the legislation allows each school district to come up with their own plan for regulating cellphone use and present it to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for approval.

Brockton High School implemented a new cellphone policy last year. Students' phones are locked up inside individual pouches during the school day.  

Principal Kevin McCaskill said, "Now you are having the art of conversation coming back as opposed to 500 students simply staring at their phones." 

Gov. Maura Healey supports banning phones in schools

On Wednesday, Gov. Maura Healey called for a "bell-to-bell cellphone ban" in public schools. 

Healey's proposal called for other options for parents to contact their children during the school day. 

"We know that distraction-free learning is the best way to set our students up for success. Restricting cellphone use in our schools will support parents and teachers, protect the mental health of young people, and help our students learn and grow," Healey said in a statement. "I'm grateful for the leadership of Attorney General Campbell, Senate President Spilka, Chair Lewis, Secretary Tutwiler and the Massachusetts Teachers Association on this issue. I hope the Legislature will send me a bill that implements a bell-to-bell ban on cellphones and similarly distracting devices at school. This new policy should be developed in close partnership with parents and must provide ways for them to get in touch with their children during the school day." 

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