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An Iowa school cell phone ban bill was introduced

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Cedar Rapids, Iowa – Governor Kim Reynolds of Iowa introduced a measure to limit cell phone use in schools, implementing one of the main proposals she made in her Condition of the State address.

According to the measure, all Iowa schools would have to implement a minimal standard by July 1st. Additionally, it mandates that schools teach sixth- and eighth-grade children about the “effects of social media.”

Governor Reynolds stated, “Cell phones are not only a distraction but a deterrent to development in the classroom.” Eighty percent of Gen Z students use their phones for more than six hours a day, and seven out of ten high school professors believe that smartphones are a serious issue. To give students the best chance at success, let’s transform the classroom back into a space for education, development, and community.

Cell phone usage in the classroom is already prohibited or restricted in a number of Iowa school districts. Ottumwa Schools prohibited cell phones following a trial period last year, Iowa City Schools implemented a policy this week, and Des Moines schools implemented new regulations this year to restrict cell phone use in the classroom.

“Our students’ mental health, classroom engagement, academic performance, and relationships with one another are all greatly benefiting from the recent implementation of our cell phone policy,” stated Michael McGrory, superintendent of Ottumwa Community Schools. “Students throughout Iowa would surely benefit from Governor Reynolds’ proposed cell phone bill if it were to become law.”

 

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