A new bill in Texas could soon change the way students use cellphones in classrooms. The bill is designed to reduce distractions, improve academic performance, and give teachers more control over their classrooms. 

Schools that already adopted similar policies report higher test scores and better student engagement.

Supporters of the bill say unrestricted phone use contributes to cyberbullying, anxiety, and classroom disruptions. Many teachers struggle to enforce phone rules on their own, and a statewide policy could provide consistency and help create a better learning environment.

Parents worry about contacting their children in emergencies, but experts suggest limiting phone use could improve school safety by reducing the unnecessary distractions. Students can then focus on the emergency protocols.

When asked how they feel about the potential cell phone ban in schools, both students and teachers had mixed feelings.

Sophomore Faith Perales is very against the bill and claims she needs access to her phone to contact her parents throughout the day.

“I don’t think that’s convenient because I play a lot of sports and have a lot of afterschool activities so I need to have a way to call my mom or my coaches so that I know where I am going afterschool, and who is going to drive me home, and I can’t do that without my phone,” Perales said.

Sophomore history teacher Mr. Ocanas disagrees and thinks that schools would be better without distracting phones.

“I think when used properly things like cellphones can be a good tool, but a lot of people rely on them, so rather than using them as an aid it becomes a crutch, and I can see why they want to shut that down,” Ocanas said.

As the bill moves quickly through the Texas legislature, communities across the state watch closely. If passed, schools would have to quickly adapt.

For now, the conversation continues in classrooms and school board meetings, as Texas decides how to navigate technology in classrooms.