MLK High School Pushes Back on Statewide Cell Phone Ban Trend

California's new guidelines encouraging stricter cell phone policies have prompted districts statewide to adopt near-total classroom bans. But at Martin Luther King High School, teachers, students, and administrators question whether such a policy would actually improve learning — or create new problems.

On Sep. 23rd, 2024, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 3216 — the Phone-Free School Act — which required school districts to create policies restricting student cell phone use during the school day. In response, several districts, including Los Angeles Unified School District and San Francisco Unified School District, have already implemented stricter phone rules this year. Their policies often require students to keep devices stored throughout the day, with disciplinary action for repeated violations.

While the general trend seems to be that districts statewide are rushing to comply, Riverside Unified School District has remained cautious about this nuanced policy.

"At this point, our school district is not wanting to go that route," Martin Luther King High School Principal Dr. Iacuone said. "Our previous superintendent wanted to see how LA and other districts are dealing with the policy before making any decisions, and our new superintendent is continuing to study its impact. When you restrict phone use, there's always pros and cons that come with them."

Beyond the broader district hesitation, Dr. Iacuone noted that logistical challenges make the policy especially difficult to enforce at a large campus like Martin Luther King High School.

"Our population is so large that the practicality of this policy to be implemented on our campus is difficult," she said. "Additionally, we'll definitely see more parachute pants, cargo pants, more kids going into the restrooms to use their phones, and much more. I don't know if this is a battle that RUSD is wanting to fight."

But practicality is not the only concern. For many students, the debate feels more personal.

"If the school banned phones entirely, I would be very upset," junior Byron Chin said. "There would be ubiquitous outcry throughout the school for quite a long time, and I would agree with them. I shouldn't be restricted in my free time during the school day, such as lunch, from using a device I bought and own for my own purposes."

Other students expressed similar sentiments.

"If schools banned phones entirely, I would feel a sense of disappointment within our district," sophomore Connor Brack said. "Phones and other devices are a vital part of people's lives. Without them, we wouldn't be able to communicate crucial information from point A to point B. People also use their phones for more than just social media: notes, photos, reminders, payments, and homework. Yes, the issue in schools is kids might be distracted, but why target the issue when it affects a whole ecosystem of students."

Although the Phone-Free School Act is intended to reduce classroom distractions, many students argue that phones have become essential tools for academic learning.

"I use my phone pretty much every day for various reasons," one junior said. "For example, I take pictures of math answer keys so I don't have to keep getting up, emailing teachers and texting students, and even doing some of my school work as sometimes my device won't work."

Students are not the only ones raising concerns — teachers are, too. In the phase of adolescence, many contend that high school should serve as a transition phase, helping prepare young adults for future success.

"We can't make a drastic shift from total control in high school to total control by the student in college. There has to be a transition," AP Environmental Science and Honors Biology teacher Mrs. Jennings said. "It's important that young people learn how to make those decisions for themselves. We can't treat them like babies and then release them into the world."

Not only do these phone-ban policies eliminate the transition phase that is high school, it also limits the opportunities for students to practice self-discipline and management.

"I do think it's important for young people to learn how to make these decisions for themselves," Jennings said. "When you go off to college, there's no professor that's going to be writing referrals for even having a cell phone. If you go to a lecture and you scroll Instagram and don't pay attention, the professor's not going to care. He'll just flunk you. Because of this, I don't think it's a good idea to ban cell phones."

Furthermore, without access to phones for communication, the policy raises important safety questions and concerns.

"You need to take into account certain situations that are becoming normalized within the country: school shootings, bomb threats and many other horrors." Brack said. "If students have their phones locked in a pouch, unable to communicate with law enforcement or their families and friends, it's just so heartbreaking. Many lives would be lost and last words might not even be recorded."

Moreover, communication is a two-way street. While students need to reach out during emergencies, parents also may need the ability to contact their children quickly. Strict cell phone policies could complicate these situations, and many students and parents worry that it could potentially hinder communication in emergencies.

While the policy raises questions and challenges, it was designed with certain goals in mind. Cell phones do not serve as a distraction to all students, however many fall victim to the addiction, especially in non-Honors and General classes.

"I realize that because I teach honors and AP, most of my students manage their phones well," Jennings said. "Sometimes I teach General Biology, and in those classes, it's always the kids who are struggling that are always on their phones. I understand why schools might want to ban them — you look at those kids and think, maybe if they weren't on the phone all the time, they'd do better."

Additionally, cell phones can act as a physical and mental blockade, limiting social interactions — a trend that has intensified since COVID-19.

"It's been a little bit unusual in the last two years," Dr. Iacuone said. "The number of kids that sit out at the lunch tables and play games on their phones has increased at least 50% each year, so I'm kind of nervous about what it will look like next year."

Despite all of this, there seems to be a general consensus at Martin Luther King High School that banning phones in schools hurts more than it helps.

"I think the cell phone ban policies are unique for sure," one junior said. "However, I feel like that doesn't stop phone use. Banning phones doesn't take away the problem, it only creates more."

As schools across California move toward tightening phone restrictions, districts like RUSD continue to weigh a complex question: whether the benefits of a ban outweigh the costs — and whether a one-size-fits-all policy can truly accommodate the diversity of a school's student population.

By Erik Chen