Phones: A Distraction or Resource?
Phones have always been a major part of the lives of teens all over the country. Phones help people communicate, share ideas, and perform many other productive uses. Yet, schools place strict policies on phones simply because some students cannot pay attention. Many students often get distracted and go on their phones during class, but is banning phones truly the solution? In January 2026, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed a law that required all public school districts to initiate policies that significantly limit student use of cell phones and devices during the school day. These policies must be adopted in the upcoming 2026-2027 school year. Creating policies that restrict the actions of students, it only worsens the problem. Instead, schools must place rigid rules that punish students for using their phones during learning.
The new rules that will be in place in the upcoming school year are known as a “bell-to-bell” ban, essentially stating that phones and other smart devices cannot be used from the beginning of the school day to the last bell of the school day. Many lawmakers support this course of action because it is a common belief that students are immensely distracted by their phones. Supporters of this ban state that banning phones will reduce classroom distractions, improve mental health by limiting social media, and encourage direct interactions rather than screen-based communication. This new law requires the New Jersey Department of Education to write statewide guidelines: prohibiting non-academic use of technological devices, allowing the use of phones for emergencies, translating needs, and health requirements. This would give individual schools more flexibility with what policies have to be set. Many guidelines already set include students keeping their phones in pouches, lockers, and backpacks.
It is important to understand the negative effects of phones on students, but the current state of the country makes it imperative that students are able to access their phones. In recent years, the country has seen a significant rise in school shootings, resulting in the deaths of dozens of innocent children. Students in such perilous situations would naturally try to contact a loved one or family member by using their phone. Such situations provide insight into the need for phones in school. In addition, many students often use their phones to provide solace when stressed or facing a negative emotion. Some people prefer to listen to music, while others prefer to text their friend about their feelings. Such communication shouldn’t be controlled and prohibited by schools. Similarly, the law states that phones may be used in an emergency, yet what exactly constitutes an emergency? Such challenges differ based on the school, leading to questions of disparities arising within school districts. If a true emergency does happen, the school reserves the right to deny a student their phone, in turn violating privacy. Rather than banning phones overall, schools should implement specific timings during which students may access their phones. During lunch, study hall, or any free period, students should be given the right to access their phones if they aren’t being taught. Many schools also face the challenge of implementing such policies mentioned in the law, reducing the effectiveness overall. Students are smart and capable; many have constructed ways to bypass school policy without being in trouble.
Overall, the new law banning phones has good intentions in the grand scheme of things, yet fails to address the root problem. Students have to focus better when being taught a lesson. The schools throughout New Jersey have the freedom to initiate policies according to the school itself, but the rules have to be specific. Students have to understand that being addicted to a phone is not beneficial to their lives, while schools need to understand that restricting phones as a whole can be more detrimental than positive.
Bibliography
Castellano, Peter E. “Cell Phone Use Restrictions are Coming: What You Need to Know as a Board Member.” New Jersey School Boards Association, 14 March 2025, https://www.njsba.org/news-information/school-leader/cell-phone-use-restrictions-are-coming-what-you-need-to-know-as-a-board-member/. Accessed 30 January 2026.
Lee, Lana. “Murphy Signs Legislation Addressing Student Phone Use in Schools.” Advocates for Children of New Jersey, 15 January 2026, https://acnj.org/cell-phone-ban-in-schools/. Accessed 30 January 2026.
“New Jersey is the latest state to ban cellphones during the school day in grades K-12.” WHYY, 8 January 2026, https://whyy.org/articles/new-jersey-cellphone-ban-schools-murphy/. Accessed 30 January 2026..