Districts in California have about two years to “limit or prohibit” phones in schools under a law just signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, who had long been calling for the move.
“We know that excessive smartphone use increases anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues—but we have the power to intervene,” Newsom said in a statement. “This new law will help students focus on academics, social development, and the world in front of them, not their screens, when they’re in school.”
But smartphones aren’t completely banished from California schools. Students will still be allowed to use their phones during emergencies or in response to a perceived threat of danger. Exceptions to the rule can also be added to a student’s individualized education program.
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In signing the Phone-Free School Act, which gives California districts until July 2026 to set their phone restrictions, Newsom cited research that found 97% of students use smartphones during the school day for a median of 43 minutes and 72% of high school and 33% of middle school teachers call smartphone distraction a major problem. Newsom also noted Surgeon General Vivek Murthy’s call for warning labels on social media about the technology’s health risks.
Earlier this year, Los Angeles USD approved the nation’s largest districtwide cellphone ban, which will take effect in January. Officials at New York City schools, the nation’s largest district, plan to ban phones in early 2025, according to multiple reports. Several states have passed or proposed laws restricting smartphones in schools.
Students at New York’s Baldwin Union Free School District are not allowed to bring smartphones to class though high schoolers can access their devices during lunch, when they are allowed to leave campus. Superintendent Shari Camhi says she relies on parents’ help to enforce the rule and shield kids from the harmful effects of social media.
“What needs to be the most popular word in the English language for parents at this point in life? ‘No,’” she contends. “We are wrapping our arms around our kids. We are trying to protect them. We love them, and we want them to grow up to be healthy, young people.”
