An amendment to the 2025 state budget suggests that South Carolina public school pupils be forced to put aside their phones during class the next year.
The announcement coincides with the state’s school districts putting their own cell phone policies into effect. Addressing how cell phones affect students’ mental health is the aim, according to state superintendent of education Ellen Weaver.
“I think it’s critically important for us to really refocus on the purpose of our schools, and to take the first step to deal with a mental health crisis and challenges that we know our students are facing,” Weaver stated.
Weaver made it clear that using a cell phone in class is not expressly prohibited by the plan. Rather, it states that schools must abide by the rules established by the State Board of Education in order to receive money.
“We need to create a benchmark of uniformity on this issue for students in every classroom,” Weaver stated. “Because every single student and every single teacher deserves a safe and academically challenging classroom.”
According to Weaver, one illustration would be making kids keep their phones in pouches while in class. Weaver stated that schools might apply for Department of Education School Safety Grants or pay for it themselves if they choose to go that route.
Concerns regarding the effects of cell phones on student behavior and classroom dynamics have been voiced by numerous educators, including Palmetto State Teachers Association member Patrick Kelly.
Kelly offered instances of how students airdropped pictures to one another or staged and recorded fights in class using their phones.
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“They are a huge drain on teachers in trying to keep students on task,” Kelly stated.
Kelly also addressed some possible parental worries about being able to contact their kids in an emergency.
“Schools still have landlines. In some cases it may be the first time a student gets to use land line,” Kelly stated. ‘As much as it may sound appealing for your child to be able to immediately text or call during an emergency situation in a school, that’s actually counterproductive to the school’s ability to keep kids safe.”
“A lot of times when we have these emergencies happen at our schools, there is fear and rampant speculation. A lot of misinformation gets out into the community,” Weaver stated. “And so in many ways, I think this actually creates a safer culture and environment.”
The disagreements between the Senate’s and the Huse’s budget recommendations still need to be resolved. The first day of the budget’s implementation is July 1.