COLUMBUS, Ohio-Gov. Mike DeWine and Lt. Gov. Jon Husted convened a roundtable with Ohio education leaders to explore the effects of restricting cellphone use in schools. Educators reported that banning phones resulted in increased student engagement, reduced truancy, and decreased bullying. Many schools observed a return to lively face-to-face interaction in cafeterias following the ban.
Dublin City Schools, for instance, implemented a cellphone ban in elementary and middle schools, fostering a more vibrant school environment. While high school students are allowed to carry phones, they cannot use them in classrooms. DeWine encouraged districts to evaluate their phone policies, advocating for decisions made at the building or district level. Although there’s no statewide ban proposed, DeWine and Husted highlighted the success stories of schools adopting cellphone restrictions, urging others to consider similar measures for the benefit of their students.
