“Shocking Turnaround: Students Actually Love This School Rule – You Won’t Believe Why!”

By Familyguide® Contributor

The Ottumwa Community School District in Iowa is receiving accolades from both students and faculty for its recent decision to implement a cell phone ban across all grade levels.

Ottumwa High School Principal Shelley Bramchreiber shared with the Ottumwa Post, “Around mid-June, we realized our district was moving towards being cell phone-free from kindergarten through 9th grade. Our elementary schools had already adopted this policy, Liberty was on board, and Evans Junior High had successfully piloted it in the spring.”

She added, “We then considered: what if we extended this ban district-wide? We formed a diverse committee including students, community members, staff, administrators, central office personnel, and board members to explore how this would look in our schools.”

Under the new policy, high school students are required to secure their phones in a designated cabinet during school hours. The impact has been swift and positive.

Madison Shoop, a high school senior, told Breitbart, “I feel like my focus has improved dramatically. Previously, I was constantly distracted by my phone, wondering if it would go off. I was so attached to it that I struggled to disengage. I’d be endlessly scrolling, often missing conversations with my mom because I had headphones in and wasn’t paying attention.”

This trend is not isolated to Iowa. The Los Angeles Unified School District is set to implement a similar ban in the spring 2025 semester.

Nick Melvoin, a board member, explained to CNN, “Our students are constantly on their phones, much like adults. They’re discreetly using them during class, walking through hallways with their heads down, and not interacting during lunch or recess because they’re wearing AirPods.”

LAUSD School Board President Jackie Goldberg clarified, “While there may be some variations between schools, the core idea is straightforward: If you bring your phone to school, you’ll store it at the beginning of the day, either in a locker or a pouch, and retrieve it when you leave.”

This movement is gaining traction nationwide. Familyguide® has previously reported on similar initiatives:

Multiple states and school districts across the United States are implementing restrictions or outright bans on cell phone use.

The New York Post recently questioned, “We don’t allow alcohol or drugs in schools. So why permit highly addictive phones in the same environment?”

Arizona is among 11 states with laws or policies limiting phone use in schools. The Los Angeles Unified School District, the second-largest in the country, has approved a ban on phone use during school hours, set to take effect by January 2025.

In Virginia, Governor Glenn Youngkin issued an executive order to “facilitate cellphone-free education in Virginia schools.” Last month, he tasked the state’s Department of Education with eliminating cellphones from public schools.

Several states, including Arkansas, Ohio, Delaware, and Pennsylvania, have implemented systems where students store their phones in pouches during school hours.

Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders stated, “Our phone-free schools program isn’t about taking something away – it’s about giving children the freedom to learn without distractions.”