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Autumn Thomas can see the benefits of banning cell phones during class for some students.

But Thomas, a freshman at Martin Luther King Jr. High School in Detroit, doesn’t think every student has to abide by the same restriction.

“Not all schools need this rule,” she said. “I sometimes use my phone during school and I get good grades — along with many other students here at King.”

A bill introduced last month would create a statewide ban on the use of devices in the classroom for all Michigan students. Rep. Mark Tisdel, a Rochester Republican, said he wrote the bill because he believes it will improve student mental health, reduce bullying and keep kids more focused on learning.

“Superintendents will tell you there is a constant struggle for teachers to keep students’ attentionhe said.

The proposed legislation it comes amid a national debate over whether schools should restrict cell phone use. Many supporters cite the same motivations as Tisdel. Parents against the measures cite safety concerns and the need to contact their children about transportation.

It could also be a challenge for the Republican-backed bill to advance in the state’s Democratic-controlled legislature.

of Tisdel the bill would require districts and charter schools to ban it entirely students in kindergarten through fifth grade from bringing wireless communication devices onto school grounds. Wireless communication devices are defined in the bill as any device that can access the Internet, send text messages, or make voice calls. That could include flip phones, though Tisdel said the bill is meant to curtail the use of smartphones and smartwatches by students.

Students in grades 6-8 would be allowed to bring devices to school, but would be prohibited from using them during the school day, even during recess and lunch.

High school students will be prohibited from using the devices during instructional hours only.

Districts and charter schools would be allowed to make additional restrictions on the use of the devices if they chose to do so.

Wendy Zdeb, executive director of the Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals, said the statewide cell phone ban for students has many pros and cons.

“At this point, I would be more inclined to have the districts maintain local control,” she said. “I see districts across the state taking action, but that doesn’t mean all of them are.”

School systems that don’t provide electronic devices for instructional purposes to every student could run into issues with the mandate, she said.

King High School student Autumn, for example, said she regularly uses her phone to look up information for class assignments.

Among the schools that have already created policies restricting student use of the devices is Avondale Middle School, which partially inspired Tisdel’s bill.

Since last school year, students have been required to put their phones in a magnetically closed bag during the school day. They can carry their phones with them throughout the day and the bags are magnetically unsealed when they leave the school building.

“The kids are very engaged and learning now,” said Katie Gomez, middle school principal

Since the rule was implemented, Gomez said there have been fewer suspensions related to online behaviors, improved academic performance and more positive interactions between students and staff.

While there is plenty of anecdotal evidence from districts and schools that cell phone restrictions have a positive impact, empirical evidence is limited and new research on student outcomes varies.

Part of the research show improved academic performance and students’ mental healthbut others suggest little change.

Many states have moved forward with new restrictionsdespite limited research.

If Tisdel’s bill passes, Michigan would join e8 other states have passed similar legislation.

Twelve other states have also introduced such legislation, and another six have created policy recommendations or pilot programs.

A survey conducted by the Pew Research Center between September 30 and October 6 found that 68 percent of adult participants supported banning middle and high school students from using cell phones during class.

But the poll found that support for banning cellphones entirely in school had much less support, with 53 percent against such measures.

The biggest concern for critics of cell phone restrictions at school is safety.

When the deadly Oxford High School shooting occurred in 2021, students used their phones to communicate with parents and make videos of the attack.

“Parents were very concerned about the new policy because of our proximity to Oxford,” Garcia said of his school’s restrictions. “One of the most important things I’ve learned in safety training is that students must listen and follow the teacher’s instructions in this type of situation.”

The principal said every teacher in the school has a “bag” that includes scissors so that once a student is in a safe place, they can cut the magnetic bag to remove their phones and talk to their parents.

Students can also keep their phones locked in their possession throughout the day so parents can use apps that track their location on the device.

If Tisdel’s legislation were to pass as currently written, however, elementary-aged students would not have access to the devices at school.

Tisdel said he understands parents’ concerns about safety, but said students should focus on first responders during an emergency.

“We have to take a step back and process — do you want a child trying to contact their parents in a real emergency, or do you want them to focus on someone on the scene directing them?” he said.

Zdeb said she understands parents who want to stay in touch with their children. At the district level, administrators are already meeting with parents to come up with solutions that work for their school communities, she said.

Hannah Dellinger covers K-12 education and state education policy for Chalkbeat Detroit. You can reach her at [email protected].