Pa. lawmakers consider state rules on cell phones in schools | Pennsylvania News

Pa. lawmakers consider state rules on cell phones in schools | Pennsylvania News

Cell phones in schools — it’s a topic that continually sparks debate among educators, parents and students across Pennsylvania.

The state Senate Education Committee held a public hearing Tuesday to look at how districts are managing student phone use and whether the state should step in.

Lawmakers heard hours of testimony from students, parents and education officials, all weighing in on how cell phones are affecting learning and mental health.

The big question: should the state set the rules or should the local school districts keep that control?

“Cell phone policies in schools have been a hot topic of discussion over the last few years,” said state Sen. Lynda Culver, majority chair of the Education Committee.

Right now, every Pennsylvania school district sets its own rules for student cellphone use. Some allow them in backpacks, others use Yondr pouches, and some just have full bans. Lawmakers on Tuesday asked whether those policies should be consistent statewide.

“I am hearing support for a state mandated policy, but I’m also hearing support for these decisions to remain at the local level where the community and school leaders determine what works best for them,” Culver says.

Many educators say local control is working, but phones are still a daily classroom challenge.

“Cell phones and other electronic devices with their notifications, social media apps, and online games, distract students, disrupt the educational process, and make teaching more difficult for school staff,” said Laura Morton, director of policy services for the Pennsylvania School Boards Association.

Others say the problem goes deeper, linking phone use to mental health struggles.

“We’ve got an extreme mental health crisis going on with our young people,” said Aaron Chapin, president of the Pennsylvania State Education Association. “And unfortunately, much of this revolves around mobile devices.”

Students offered mixed opinions, with some backing stricter limits and others calling for balance.

“I believe that entirely banning cell phones would leave our students feeling disrespected and untrusted,” said Cameron Hoover, 12th-grader at Milton Area School District.

Locally, Lehigh Valley schools have taken their own approaches, but lawmakers say future hearings could determine whether phone policies stay with school boards or move to the state level.

The committee didn’t take any action Tuesday, but members on both sides say they plan to keep studying how phones are impacting learning and safety, and if the state should step in.

Source link

Visited 1 times, 1 visit(s) today

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *