HARTFORD — Student cellphones would be prohibited throughout the public school day under legislation approved Monday in the state House of Representatives aimed at stopping distractions from learning.
Some minority Republicans said the bill is not needed at a time when many school districts across the state have already adopted cellphone-use policies. But Democrats said a statewide policy, even without penalties, would offer guidance at a time when school districts have a wide variety of local policies.
The bill passed in a bipartisan 117-31 vote after a nearly three-and-a-half-hour debate. Three Democrats voted against the bill and 20 Republicans voted for the legislation, which next heads to the state Senate.
“To me this is feel-good legislation,” said state Rep. Lezlye Zupkus of Prospect, a ranking Republican on the legislative Education Committee. She said some existing policies stipulate means of storage during the day and special accommodations for students with medical issues.
“Our teachers thought this was the best policy for students,” said state Rep. Jennifer Leeper, D-Fairfield, co-chair of the Education Committee, adding that the legislation does not include penalties, nor does it suggest methods of storing cellphones during the day.
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“Cellphones have become an overwhelming part not only of our day, but also that of our children,” Leeper said in introducing the bill.
“These devices, while at times useful pieces of technology, have actually become an addiction for our young people,” Leeper said. “They are becoming increasingly disruptive in the school day, interrupting learning and also, maybe even more importantly, taking the time from our young people where they get to connect with their peers, they get to form relationships with one another, they get to build relationships with trusted adults.”
School districts would be given the freedom to develop policies, under the bill, including on the use of cellphones in emergencies and health incidents. There would be no penalties for noncompliance. Storage of phones could be in administrative offices or even student backpacks.
“This has to be done.” said state Rep. David Rutigliano, R-Trumbull, calling his town’s policy is inadequate. “The IQs are down. The test scores are down. The bullying is up, the stress, the suicidal ideations. Every bad thing that can happen has gone up. It’s a health emergency. People are struggling. I think we need to get back to some sort of sanity in our schools.”
But Zupkus disagreed, saying a statewide policy is not needed.
“I have been in contact with many, many, many principals, many, many, many superintendents, not just mine but across the state and there have been no problems or complaints reported,” Zupkus said. “Everyone has a policy.”
She recalled a recent public hearing in which state school officials said three districts did not have cellphone policies. Zupkus said that those three communities have since created policies.
“We heard from superintendents saying they felt like it would be helpful to have a state law to have a backstop to enforce our policies,” Leeper said. “Similarly, we heard from our teachers that said while schools have policies, there are a wide variety of policies. We know there is no data that shows it is good for kids to have their phones for the school day. There’s lots of data that shows it’s harmful for our kids to be filling all of those passing periods, study halls, lunch breaks, free time with their phones instead of connecting with one another.”
Zupkus said, “I’m debating that it’s also bad for adults and for teachers to have them, and if they can be on their phone in the classroom that’s bad role modeling.”
Republicans submitted an amendment that would prohibit teachers and administrators from using cellphones as well during the school year. The proposal failed 123-24 in the House, which has a 102-49 Democratic majority.