California Passed Law to Limit Phone Use in Schools

A new state law will soon require school districts in California to create new rules restricting student smartphone use.

California Governor Gavin Newsom signed the law recently. The legislation makes California the latest state to try to reduce student phone access. Florida, Louisiana, Indiana, and several other states have also passed laws aimed at restricting student phone use at school.

The legislation is aimed at reducing distractions in the classroom. It is also meant to address the mental health effects that social media can have on children.

Newsom said in a statement, “This new law will help students focus on academics, social development, and the world in front of them, not their screens, when they're in school."

But some critics of such policies worry the rules will make it harder for students to seek help if there is an emergency. Critics also argue that decisions on phone bans should be made by school districts, and not state governments.

The law requires districts to pass rules by July 1, 2026. The rules should limit or ban students from using smartphones on school grounds or while students are under the supervision of school employees.

The new law comes after Newsom signed an earlier law in 2019 permitting school districts to restrict student phone access.

In June, Newsom announced plans to seek more legislation. His announcement came after the U.S. surgeon general called on the United States Congress to require written warning on social media platforms describing their effects on young people. Newsom sent letters to districts in August, urging them to limit student device use in school.

Assembly member Josh Hoover represents the city of Folsom. Hoover introduced the bill with a group of lawmakers. Phones are restricted where Hoover's children attend school. He said many of the students do not always like the policy. He said that is in part a sign of how addictive phones can be.

Hoover said, "Any time you're talking about interrupting that addiction, it's certainly going to be hard for students sometimes."

Some parents have raised concerns that school cellphone bans could cut parents off from their children if there is an emergency, such as a school shooting.

The 2019 law permitting districts to restrict student phone access makes exceptions for emergencies. The new law does not change that. Some supporters of school phone restrictions say it may be safer to have phones off in an active shooter situation.

ShaKenya Edison is assistant superintendent with the Santa Barbara Unified School District. The district put in place a ban on student phone use in class during the 2023 to 2024 school year. She said teachers have noted that their students are paying closer attention in class since the start of the ban.

Tarik McFall is principal of Sutter Middle School in Folsom. He said that before his school's cellphone ban, students recorded fights, filmed TikTok videos and spent lunchtime looking at their phones.

The ban has “totally changed the culture” of the school, he said. Now, students spend more time talking to one another. “To have them put away, to have them power off...it has been a great thing,” McFall said.

I'm Ashley Thompson.

The Associated Press reported this story. Ashley Thompson adapted it for VOA Learning English.

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access –v. to get or use something

distraction –n. something that is unimportant that takes attention away from something else that is more important

address –v. to deal with in some way

focus –v. to place one's attention on something

academics –n. (pl.) things related to school and learning that are not connected to the real world

platform –n. an online service that provides media material and advertisements and seeks a very large number of users

addictive –adj. causing a strong, harmful need to regularly use something