{"id":456325,"date":"2026-09-07T15:42:33","date_gmt":"2026-09-07T15:42:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/456325\/"},"modified":"2026-09-07T15:42:33","modified_gmt":"2026-09-07T15:42:33","slug":"students-and-teachers-brace-for-michigans-new-classroom-phone-ban-the-oakland-press","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/456325\/","title":{"rendered":"Students and teachers brace for Michigan\u2019s new classroom phone ban \u2013 The Oakland Press"},"content":{"rendered":"

Planet Detroit originally published<\/a> this story. Sign up for their weekly newsletter at planetdetroit.org.<\/p>\n

By Emma Lee, Detroit Writing Room, Planet Detroit<\/p>\n

Michigan\u2019s school cellphone ban, which takes effect with the new school year, is \u201cgoing to be a bumpy road in the beginning,\u201d Salem High School English teacher Kelly Giromini predicts.<\/p>\n

The no-phone policy is likely to pose challenges for students. While some students will learn for the first time what instruction time is like without scrolling social media, others will have to adapt to not having their phones as a classroom tool.<\/p>\n

In rising Plymouth High School senior Olivia Schneid\u2019s case, she might be less efficient at completing class assignments. Before the ban, she\u2019d use her computer and phone at the same time for research or learning game platforms like Kahoot. \u201cI\u2019ll have a bunch of tabs open on my Chromebook, and then I\u2019ll have some open on my phone where I cross-reference different websites,\u201d she explained.<\/p>\n

Michigan joins at least 35 other states with school cellphone bans<\/a> that require students to keep their devices away from classrooms. However, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed two bipartisan bills<\/a> this February to ban phones only during instructional class time in Michigan public schools serving kindergarten through 12th grade.<\/p>\n

Before signing the bill at Waverly High School in Lansing, Whitmer told a crowd that phones are \u201cby far the most disruptive distraction in our classrooms \u2026 designed to keep you scrolling, and teachers (are) struggling to keep the class engaged while competing against social media.\u201d<\/p>\n

State Rep. Matt Koleszar (D\u2013Plymouth) is a former teacher who supports the no-phone policy. He said the ban came to fruition because \u201cschools and parent groups had expressed concern that their students were too distracted by devices while in the classroom.\u201d He added, \u201cresearch had shown other states had positive results by banning cellphones in the classroom.\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite this, an April 2026 National Bureau of Economic Research report<\/a> reviewed over 43,000 middle and high schools and their phone policies. The results suggest that although phone screen time lowered during the school day, many aspects that schools measure, such as test scores, attendance records or attention levels, did not differ greatly with no-phone policies in place. The policies also did not stop potential cyberbullying.<\/p>\n

Thomas Dee, a Stanford Graduate School of Education professor and an author of the report, said in a Stanford University article<\/a> that \u201cThere is clearly justifiable enthusiasm for school phone bans, but it\u2019s important to recognize that building effective, phone-free learning environments does not appear to be a simple or quick fix.\u201d<\/p>\n

Enforcement and emergency concerns<\/p>\n

Each school can decide how to enforce the new ban, which may not be simple. As of July, Giromini said \u201cteachers have not been told exactly what\u2019s going to happen\u201d in terms of enforcement at Salem High School. She expects to learn more during August professional development days before school starts.<\/p>\n

The think tank RAND<\/a> surveyed youth who opposed cellphone bans in classrooms. The No. 1 concern students reported is that parents should be able to reach them when needed. Adults also cited this as the main reason for opposing cellphone bans. However, Koleszar said \u201cparents know that they can call the school in an emergency situation.\u201d<\/p>\n

But that scenario concerns Schneid, who attends Salem High School, part of the Plymouth-Canton Educational Park Campus, which serves about 6,000 students. She doesn\u2019t believe there are enough secretaries to field calls in a school-wide emergency. \u201cThat\u2019s not very logical. They won\u2019t be able to reach everyone,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Similarly, Salem High School parent Kerri Bennett expressed concern about keeping in contact with her daughter Lilly. \u201cI do worry I won\u2019t be able to contact Lilly if I know there\u2019s a lockdown\u2026I would like to be able to know that everything\u2019s OK, but I also understand that that could put your guys\u2019 lives in more danger in that situation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Each teacher may also have different practices for how they want to handle an emergency. If phones are placed in boxes or pouches, Giromini suggested that in an evacuation, she could grab the container and bring them to students once they safely evacuated the building.<\/p>\n

\u201cI would hope that the school or the teachers would have a plan put in place and be smart enough to be able to take those (phones) out quickly,\u201d Bennett said.<\/p>\n

Phone ban guinea pigs<\/p>\n

This past year, some schools tried to limit phone use before the law was implemented. During a trial phone ban, Schneid said some teachers made students put their phones in bins. If they didn\u2019t, and the student was caught with their phone, their phone went to the main office as a punishment.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey mentioned briefly one time to put our phones in the bin, and then just did not care,\u201d she said, referring to teachers who attempted to implement the policy. She added other teachers tried to limit phone usage, but struggled to enforce it.<\/p>\n

The ban impacts students at the middle school level as well.<\/p>\n

Cole Shaft, 14, who recently graduated from West Middle School in Plymouth, said \u201cif teachers saw the phones, they would take them,\u201d but thinks \u201ckids got pretty good at hiding them.\u201d He noticed that many of his peers \u201cwould hide (phones) behind Chromebooks\u201d without getting caught, although his middle school has a strict \u201cAway For The Day\u201d no-phone policy. During the day, phones are required to be in lockers until the very end of the school day.<\/p>\n

Like Schneid, Shaft agreed \u201csome teachers will be more lenient\u201d while others \u201cwon\u2019t care.\u201d Ultimately, much of the responsibility for enforcing the ban will fall on teachers.<\/p>\n

A phone-free future<\/p>\n

Although students like Schneid can\u2019t cross-reference websites with multiple devices going forward, there is hope the cellphone ban will lead to more engaged learning and deeper conversations between students.<\/p>\n

Out of the students interviewed, all said the ban would allow for a more enriched social life at school. Although the ban will start this fall, Giromini advised that everyone should be on the same page about why the ban is being implemented.<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope that we go into next year with everyone at the table agreeing that we\u2019re doing this because we want to give kids the best education possible,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Emma Lee wrote this story as part of The Detroit Journalism Summer Camp, a two-week program run by the Detroit Writing Room where Detroit high school students learn reporting, interviewing, and storytelling skills under the guidance of professional journalists. sports.<\/p>\n

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