Cellphones have become a regular part of people’s lives. Cell phones are useful tools for students; however, they can be distracting if misused. In recent years, several Iowa high schools have implemented policies restricting cellphone use during school. Governor Kim Reynolds has proposed a cellphone ban in schools.

Reynolds states: “Kids need to focus on learning.” In a statement from the Governor’s spokesman Mason Mauro, he says, “Governor Reynolds believes Iowa students deserve the opportunity to learn free from the distraction of personal electronic devices.”

“This is a situation like ripping off a band-aid,” said history teacher Tyler Brietzke. “When you rip the band-aid off, the rules come across, a week or two after the ban is in place, I think everyone continues business as usual, as we see peer-to-peer contact and not seeing students being lost in their phones.”

Many high schools and school districts across Iowa have implemented cellphone bans such as Hoover High School in Des Moines, along with the Ankeney and Dallas Center-Grimes school districts. Districts have different guidelines on the restriction of cellphone usage during the school day, some schools allow students to be on cell phones under educational instruction, during passing periods, and during recess (lunch). Other schools are not so lenient and require students to power off and stow away personal devices during school hours. Although some students abuse their phones during class some students use them as tools and find cellphones beneficial for their education.

“I feel like more people can learn with their phones better than without them,” said senior Daniel Sharp. 

Sharp also stated that the cellphone ban could be harmful to some students.

”Students who have health problems and use their cell phones to check their health it could be bad for them not having their phone.”

Many states nationwide have cell phone policies in schools. Currently, 11 states have incentive policies that are recommended to be used within schools, and 8 states have enacted laws on cell phone usage in schools. 5 of those schools have used legislative processes to ban cell phones in schools including California, Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, and South Carolina. 

“We can’t go back to how it was before (cell phones),” said assistant principal Rob Lindquist. “So we have to figure out ways to develop cell phones and use them in appropriate ways but be able to have them put away.”