Alabama’s Senate passed a bill Wednesday banning the access and use of cell phones at public K-12 schools within the state. Senate Bill 92 introduced the Freeing our Classrooms of Unnecessary Screens for Safety (FOCUS) Act, which bans the use of devices at school and requires education boards to establish an Internet safety policy. It also requires students to complete a social media safety course before beginning the eighth grade.”The Senate unanimously passed the FOCUS Act, which removes the distraction of cell phones during students’ classes,” wrote Gov. Kay Ivey in a social media post Wednesday night. “There’s a time and a place for our phones, but while a teacher is teaching is NOT it. Thank you, Sen. Donnie Chesteen. Let’s get this bill to my desk!”The bill specifies that the act does not just apply to cellphones, but any “wireless communication device” that is capable of messaging. This includes computers, tablets and other gaming devices. The basis of the bill says that the presence of phones within the classroom negatively impacts the learning environment, distracts students and contributes to poor mental health.The bill also notes that there are only some special circumstances when students may use their devices. If a student has special accommodations or educational supervision, usage is allowed. Students can still have their phones stored in “a locker, car, or similar storage location” for emergency circumstances, but they must be turned off. The state House of Representatives passed an identical companion bill, House Bill 166, late last week. Whichever piece of legislation is passed by the opposite chamber first will head to Ivey’s desk.
Alabama’s Senate passed a bill Wednesday banning the access and use of cell phones at public K-12 schools within the state.
Senate Bill 92 introduced the Freeing our Classrooms of Unnecessary Screens for Safety (FOCUS) Act, which bans the use of devices at school and requires education boards to establish an Internet safety policy. It also requires students to complete a social media safety course before beginning the eighth grade.
“The Senate unanimously passed the FOCUS Act, which removes the distraction of cell phones during students’ classes,” wrote Gov. Kay Ivey in a social media post Wednesday night. “There’s a time and a place for our phones, but while a teacher is teaching is NOT it. Thank you, Sen. Donnie Chesteen. Let’s get this bill to my desk!”
The bill specifies that the act does not just apply to cellphones, but any “wireless communication device” that is capable of messaging. This includes computers, tablets and other gaming devices.
The basis of the bill says that the presence of phones within the classroom negatively impacts the learning environment, distracts students and contributes to poor mental health.
The bill also notes that there are only some special circumstances when students may use their devices. If a student has special accommodations or educational supervision, usage is allowed.
Students can still have their phones stored in “a locker, car, or similar storage location” for emergency circumstances, but they must be turned off.
The state House of Representatives passed an identical companion bill, House Bill 166, late last week. Whichever piece of legislation is passed by the opposite chamber first will head to Ivey’s desk.
