Cellphones will still be banned all day for students in kindergarten to eighth grade, due to a new state law<\/a>. The state also prohibits students in all grades from using their phones during instructional periods, unless authorized by a teacher for academic purposes. But it\u2019s up to school districts to decide whether high school students can use the devices during non-instructional times.<\/p>\n Board members passed the K-12 cellphone ban last year, citing national research that concluded the overuse of cellphones can hurt students academically, mentally and socially. However, a study conducted by Florida Atlantic University of Broward\u2019s policy produced more mixed results<\/a>. Some teachers and administrators cited anecdotal benefits of the cellphone restrictions but \u201cno conclusive evidence connecting the policy to improved academic achievement or mental health outcomes.\u201d<\/p>\n Five of the nine board members supported relaxing the rule following complaints by students and parents, as well as concerns from administrators that the lunch policy was tough to enforce on large high school campuses.<\/p>\n \u201cI believe there is adequate research to suggest that excessive use of cellphones is problematic,\u201d said board member Jeff Holness, who voted to change the policy. \u201cHowever, limited use of cellphones during lunch time, which will probably be about 15 to 20 minutes at most, can also be beneficial. There are arguments on both sides.\u201d<\/p>\n Holness was joined by Chairwoman Debbi Hixon and board members Rebecca Thompson, Maura Bulman and Lori Alhadeff. They noted that the district has embraced technology in other ways, launching an artificial intelligence program with Microsoft and approving an initiative to issue laptops<\/a> to students later this school year.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know that we can celebrate AI and then be super dismissive and critical of other technologies,\u201d Bulman said. \u201cThat just doesn\u2019t make any sense to me.\u201d<\/p>\n But the four dissenting board members \u2014 Adam Cervera, Sarah Leonardi, Nora Rupert and Allen Zeman \u2014 said they felt strongly that the policy shouldn\u2019t change.<\/p>\n Leonardi said administrators have told her that the policy has resulted in a reduction in fights and bullying and improved students\u2019 social interactions with other students.<\/p>\n \u201cI see the positive progress we\u2019re making with our kids, and it would be devastating to reduce or take away the opportunity these kids have to interact with each other without the restrictions of a phone,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Superintendent Howard Hepburn had also been a proponent of the ban. Zeman asked him on Tuesday whether his views had changed. Hepburn said they had not.<\/p>\n![\"Broward](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/tfl-l-school-cell-board-1015-4.jpg\")
The Broward School Board voted 5-4 on Tuesday to amend a policy that had banned all student use of cellphones from the morning bell until dismissal. The restriction has now been lifted for high school students, who can talk, text, surf the web and listen to music during their lunch period starting on Wednesday.<\/p>\n