The legislature's education committee heard testimony Wednesday on bills that would limit student access to cellphones during the school day.
Beth Lambert of the Maine Department of Education, said the department is neither for nor against the legislation but she cautioned against taking away phones in an increasingly digital world.
"Instead of chasing devices we need to teach discernment. That means investing in digital literacy, privacy awareness and self-regulation skills. Skills that will serve our students in any tech environment they encounter," Lambert said.
Lambert said the Maine DOE is already working with schools to find ways to deal with phones and she is worried that the bills might create mandates that won't work for every school.
Senator Stacy Brenner, a Democrat from Gorham, spoke in favor of one bill after hearing from teachers who say their students are less engaged and more easily distracted with cell phones in the classroom.
And Matt Pines, a parent and director of the Maine Teen Camp, said he is in favor of a bill that would take student's phones away from "bell to bell" because he said students ability to socialize is limited when phones are present.
"Kids really like being device free when everyone else is device free. What they don't like is being the only one without a device," Pines said.
Pines said policies like this should include smart watches, smart glasses, and tablets which all pose the same distractions and ability to access the internet that cellphones do.
