State lawmakers gave preliminary approval Thursday to a bill that would require school boards to adopt policies on cellphone use in schools.
As originally proposed, the bill would have required school administrative units to prohibit students from even possessing cellphones in classrooms except in certain emergency circumstances. But lawmakers on the Legislature's Education and Cultural Affairs Committee changed the bill to only require that school boards adopt cellphone policies in response to concerns that a statewide ban would infringe on Maine's tradition of local control in education.
The bill, LD 1234, received initial approval in both the House and Senate on Thursday without any debate. It faces additional procedural votes.
Teachers and education leaders across the nation have said cellphones are major distraction — and therefore a growing problem — in classrooms, particularly in higher grades.
Dozens of schools across the state already restrict the use of cellphones, according to data from the Maine Principals' Association. In some schools, students must turn off their phones after the morning bell and leave them in secure boxes or their lockers. Others allow cellphone use between classes or during lunch. But some teachers have incorporated smartphones into classroom lessons.
The bill now pending in the Legislature would require school boards to adopt a policy by August of next year.
