Cell phone use to be banned in SC schools by 2025

Cell phone use to be banned in SC schools by 2025

GREENVILLE, S.C. (FOX Carolina) – The South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE) will soon be working to draft a policy banning the use of cell phones and other personal electronic communications devices in classrooms. A proviso included in the state’s FY 2024-25 budget says that in order for school districts to receive state funding, they will need to implement the policy adopted by the State Board of Education.

“To receive state funds allocated for State Aid to Classrooms, a school district shall implement a policy adopted by the State Board of Education that prohibits access to personal electronic communication devices by students during the school day. For purposes of this provision, a personal electronic communication device is considered to be a device not authorized for classroom use by a student, utilized to access the Internet, wi-fi, or cellular telephone signals.”

Proviso 1.103 (SDE: Anti-Bullying/School Safety)

A legal advisor for SCDE sent a memo to all state superintendents at the end of June about plans for the policy if the budget passed. The memo says more than half of the teachers they surveyed supported a complete ban of cell phones during the school day. Governor McMaster addressed the issue in his press conference last week where he revealed his line-item vetoes, commending the state’s legislators for approving the proviso:

“We all know that cell phone use is distracting. Four years ago, I began including a proviso in my executive budgets prohibiting the use of cell phones or other personal electronic communication devices by students at school. Studies show that students’ anxiety and stress related to social media are reduced when cell phone access during school hours is prohibited. I commend the General Assembly for including this proviso in this year’s state budget. Teachers should be free to teach and students free to learn without the burden of added distraction.”

South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster

A spokesperson for SCDE released the following statement on Thursday:

“We are confident that with the right policy and communication, school districts will want to adopt the policy as soon as reasonably possible. The Department will work closely with districts over the coming months not just to come into compliance with Proviso 1.103, but to free students from the distraction and pressure of constantly being on their phones. As referenced in the memo, the goal of full implementation across the state by January 2025 is achievable if the State Board takes action in August and local boards take action in September or October. Cell phones are a massive distraction in the classroom, enable all sorts of negative outcomes on campus, and their overuse is harmful to students’ development and mental health. Many teachers and parents are begging for help to deal with them, and Superintendent Weaver and the General Assembly are listening.”

Jason Raven, Director of Media Relations for SC Department of Education

Full Memo Sent to Superintendents in June:

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