Horne urges Arizona schools to enforce school cellphone ban all day

Last week, Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs signed a bill banning cellphones in schools during classroom instruction but allowing them for emergency uses.

Hobbs vetoed a bill similar to this last year. Superintendent of Education Tom Horne said there is not a significant difference between the two bills, but praises her for signing the legislation into law.

“The new policy is when the teacher is teaching, they can’t scroll on their cellphones,” Horne said. “It’s been high priority for my legislative program and it took two years.”

Horne urges schools to enforce the policy all day, not just during instruction. But districts will individually decide how to enforce the legislation and if it applies to dedicated student break.

Several years ago, a study was conducted to see the impact of phones on students. The group without access to their phone reported less anxiety and more mindfulness.

Horne said this bill will reduce bullying and classroom distractions.

“Schools that have done have found that they talk to each other more, there’s no bullying,” Horne said.

High school teachers report 72% of students are distracted by cellphones, according to a Pew Research Center study.

“It’s only during class time you find that toward the end of class a student is not paying attention because they are wondering what’s on their cellphone,” Horne said.

EDITOR'S NOTE: This story has been updated to correct when the cellphone ban was signed.