Ark. Senator proposes bill to limit cell phone use in schools

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (WMC) - Senators Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) and Tim Kaine (D-Va.) proposed the Focus on Learning Act that would call for the U.S. Department of Education to open a study on the use of cell phones in schools.

The study would be predicated on the effects they have on K-12 students’ mental health and production in the classroom.

Cotton stated his reasoning for moving this bill forward, stating, “Widespread use of cell phones in schools are at best a distraction for young Americans; at worst, they expose schoolchildren to content that is harmful and addictive. Our legislation will make schools remain centers of learning.”

The bill calls for a “school environment free of mobile devices.” The schools would all be provided with secure containers to place the students’ phones in during the school day.

Included in Section 4 of the bill was the implementation of the pilot program. This program would provide financial contributions to schools willing to participate.

Cell Phone Bill by Jacob Gallant on Scribd

$5 million will be given annually for the next five years for the pilot program. Teachers, faculty, and administrators would be provided with a communication system that will help them contact each other, parents of the students, and local first responders in case of an emergency.

The Department of Education will gather results during the study from the faculty and students.

Tim Kaine serves on the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee and is hoping this bill can be the start of growth in children in schools across America.

“We’ve made a lot of progress in our recovery from the depths of the pandemic. But there’s much more work to be done to help students overcome learning loss and excel in the classroom. That includes looking into how cellphone use in schools is impacting students’ mental health and their ability to learn. This bill would help us do that, by gathering information and providing it to schools as they grapple with students’ use of cellphones in class and how to best set them up for success.”

A study from Common Sense Media found that 97% of children aged 11-17 used their cell phones during school hours.

The results showed that the average student uses their phone for an average of 43 minutes with 32% used for social media, 26% for YouTube, and 17% for gaming. A study by ScienceDirect showed that students experienced a 6.4% increase in test scores following a ban on cell phone use.

Tom Cotton and Tim Kaine are hoping their Focus on Learning Act will be passed to begin what they think will aid the future success of students.

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