Bill could ban cellphone use in classrooms

Frankfort Ky (WTVQ): One Kentucky lawmaker is looking to ban cellphone use in the classroom.

State Representative Josh Bray about what this bill could look like for students in the commonwealth. “We’ve seen a significant increase in mental health issues. we’ve seen a significant increase in bullying, discipline issues,” he said.

Bray introduced House Bill 383, that would propose a district wide policy for schools on how to eliminate cellphones in the classroom “in the states that have done this, Florida passes this, this last session. they’ve seen a tremendous amount of success,” Bray said.

Bray says that some school districts have gone above and beyond, where on school property you can’t have them out. He says his bill has a provision if a student needs their phone for an emergency situation.

 Nicole Descartes is a mom of three. “There’s kids that don’t follow the rules she said “There’s kids that it is a problem with. but what about the ones that do? you’re going to take something away from them just because of the problem kids.”

Daniel Ellis, a former theatre teacher, says while he was teaching, each teacher created their own set of rules regarding phone use.  “Green zone in terms of cellphones are allowed. red zone, the cellphones are supposed to go away. sometimes they were acknowledged by students, sometimes they weren’t so they were a definite block to instruction at times,” he said.

“We’re going to trust that the local school districts know how to best implement a disciplinary policy on this, and how to implement the policy itself,” Bray said.