Senators urge House to adopt bell-to-bell cell phone ban in Pa. schools | News, Sports, Jobs

Photo by Whitney Downard/Pennsylvania Capital-Star
Sen. Steven Santarsiero (D-Bucks) holds a cell phone aloft at a press conference on Feb. 4. The former teacher said the devices are distractions for students in classrooms.

Legislation that would mandate a universal bell-to-bell cell phone ban in public and private schools across the commonwealth now heads to the House after getting the nod from senators.

A bipartisan group of senators petitioned their colleagues Wednesday to move the proposal, noting that Gov. Josh Shapiro has already endorsed the idea.

“We are spending nearly $12 billion here in Pennsylvania on K-12 education this year alone, but we’ll be flushing it down the drain if we can’t recapture our students’ attention,” said sponsor Sen. Devlin Robinson (R-Allegheny). “Our schools are for learning, and our kids need a break from these devices.”

In particular, lawmakers shared concerns about the addictive nature of smartphones and how they disrupt learning in the classroom. Sponsors pointed to numerous studies linking cell phone use with poor mental health and worse academic performance.

Senate Bill 1014 advanced on a 46-1 vote over the opposition of Sen. Dawn Keefer (R-York). In a December committee, Keefer hesitated to support a one-size-fits-all approach, noting maturity differences between middle grades and high school, and pushed for schools to adopt their own policies.

Kelly Marsh, a mother of three outside of Pittsburgh, is one of the leaders of parent-led PA Unplugged pushing for the law. She called it the “gold standard,” noting the increasing amount of time students report spending on their phones during the school day.

“Teachers, kids and parents have been tasked with managing the unmanageable. It’s time to recognize that our current approach isn’t working,” said Marsh. “This type of legislation is an important first step for a much-needed cultural change.”

——

Pennsylvania Capital-Star is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Pennsylvania Capital-Star maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Tim Lambert for questions: info@penncapital-star.com. Follow Pennsylvania Capital-Star on Facebook and Twitter.