Gov. JB Pritzker backs ban on cell phones in Illinois school classrooms
Gov. JB Pritzker on Wednesday proposed a statewide ban on cell phones in school classrooms, as part of an effort to improve students' performance and mental health by removing electronic devices that many have said have become major distractions.
"Improving the classroom environment and limiting distractions is vital to student achievement, and in conversations with educators and parents around this state, there is one thing they commonly cite as an impediment to learning in the classroom: cell phones," Pritzker said during his annual State of the State and budget address. "Furthermore, cyberbullying has expanded at alarming rates, and it's time for Illinois to take measures to protect our kids."
Legislation introduced in both houses of the General Assembly would require school districts to set policies that ban personal wireless devices during class time, with notable exceptions, create a means for secure but accessible storage of phones and tablets, and review those guidelines at least every three years.
Specifically, Pritzker is pushing to ban cell phones and other wireless devices in classrooms during instructional periods.
"More focus on learning will bring even greater success for kids across the state," Pritzker said.
Students would be allowed to use wireless devices with a teacher's approval for educational purposes, in an emergency or in response to a threat to their health or safety, when a doctor deems it necessary for a specific student, for a student's individual special education plan, or to help students for whom English is their second language.
The legislation, which would require policies be in place by the 2026-2027 school year, has enough flexibility in the plan to allow school districts to develop a policy that best suits them.
Eight states have policies that ban or limit schoolhouse cellphone use. Indiana, Minnesota, Ohio. Iowa, Kentucky and Michigan are among the 15 states where bans or other restrictions have been proposed.
The Pew Research Center has found that seven in 10 high school teachers in the U.S. consider cellphone distraction a major classroom problem.
This school year, Peoria schools adopted a plan in which each student is issued a neoprene pouch with a magnetized lock that only teachers or administrators can open. Midway through the school year, a survey of 8,000 students from grades 5 to 12 found they had more focus, more engagement and reduced distractions, Superintendent Sharon Desmoulin-Kherat said.
She said that in an email, a teacher reported: "I am looking into students' eyes who have never looked up from a screen before."
Illinois was way ahead of the curve on the issue, but it then backpedaled. Legislation banned cellphones as early as the 1990s when cellular devices were new, expensive and thought to be the domain of drug dealers. As technology improved, they were seen as vital links to the outside, particularly family, and in 2002, the Legislature reversed itself and approved their presence in schools.
Despite being turned off and locked up, Peoria students retain ready access when necessary, Desmoulin-Kherat said, noting one of the few concerns parents had was being able to reach their children in an emergency.
"Just like the old days, you can call the office," Desmoulin-Kherat said. "You can send an email. You don't need a cellphone to be able to communicate with your family."
